Warring writes to PM Modi, seeks urgent flood relief package for Punjab

Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring has sought the immediate intervention of the Prime Minister for an “urgent” flood relief package for Punjab, as the floods have caused havoc and devastation across the state. In a letter to PM Modi, Warring stated that almost the entire state of Punjab has been devastatingly hit by floods, with no immediate reprieve in sight, as more rains are predicted for the next few days.

Referring to Inter-Ministerial Committee constituted by the Union Home Ministry to assess flood losses in different states, he noted that these efforts will take time, while people need relief right away. Seeking an “urgent” flood relief package for Punjab, he mentioned that the estimated loss runs into thousands of crores. Over 1,300 villages have been affected so far, and standing paddy crops, almost ready for harvesting, remain inundated, with little hope of saving or retrieving anything.

“We don’t seek any special treatment, despite being a frontline border state that has stood guard for the entire nation and provided food security to the whole country. We only seek our rightful due,” he urged the Prime Minister. He added, “The same paddy crops that have filled the stomachs of crores of people across the country are on the verge of destruction. This is a natural calamity with unimaginable devastation. It’s time for the country to stand by Punjab and Punjabi farmers.”

Warring also expressed apprehension about the outbreak of diseases in flood-hit areas, as well as the erosion of fertile soil. He demanded that farmers in the affected areas be provided with fertilisers free of cost for at least the next two seasons.