Punjab governor visits Ferozepur as relief and rehabilitation underway in flood-hit districts

Chandigarh, Sep 2 (PTI) Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria visited flood-hit Ferozepur on Tuesday as relief-and-rehabilitation operations are underway in other affected districts as well.

Punjab is battling against one of the worst floods since 1988. The devastating floods have already claimed 29 lives, besides impacting more than 2.56 lakh people, officials said on Monday.

The swollen Sutlej, Beas and Ravi rivers and seasonal rivulets have flooded large parts of the state following heavy rain in their catchment areas in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.

A total of 12 districts, including Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Kapurthala, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Hoshiarpur and Amritsar, have been hit by the floods.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann immediately after returning to Delhi from China on Monday to enquire about the flood situation in the state and assured him of all support.

The governor held a meeting with administration officials in the border district of Ferozepur on Tuesday.

Kataria, who began his visit to the flood-hit districts from Ferozepur, discussed the relief-and-rehabilitation measures underway for the affected families, and directed the officials to ensure timely assistance and effective coordination.

Ferozepur Deputy Commissioner Deepshikha Sharma and Senior Superintendent of Police Bhupinder Singh attended the meeting.

Kataria is scheduled to visit Tarn Taran later in the day. He will tour Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Pathankot on Wednesday, and Hoshiarpur and Sri Anandpur Sahib on Thursday, officials said.

After the meeting with the Ferozepur district administration, the governor said he reviewed the flood situation, discussed the relief and rehabilitation measures for the affected people, and instructed officials to ensure timely assistance and effective coordination in the affected areas.

During his Ferozepur visit, Kataria also met the affected people at a relief camp in Bare village and listened to their problems.

He also inspected the Hussainiwala Head Works and the Border Security Force (BSF) post and later, paid tributes at the Hussainiwala War Memorial.

Meanwhile, a fresh spell of rain lashed several parts of the state.

According to the weather department, several places in Punjab received rain during the 24-hour period ending at 8:30 am on Tuesday.

Among other places, Amritsar received 18.3 mm rain, Patiala 70.5 mm, Bathinda 5 mm, Faridkot 1 mm, Gurdaspur 32.8 mm, Mansa 10 mm and Mohali 44.5 mm.

In view of the rising water level in the Beas river and Kali Bein rivulet, along with the continuous heavy rainfall, the district administration in Kapurthala has issued an advisory for the public.

The advisory has requested people to avoid going near the rivers and the adjoining Dhussi embankments in order to prevent any untoward incident.

In view of the inclement weather conditions and prevailing flood-like situations, all 43 skill development centres running in association with the Punjab Skill Development Mission will remain closed till Wednesday to ensure the safety and well-being of all the stakeholders, minister Aman Arora said.

Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh, who was in Amritsar, said 174 ambulances have been deployed in the flood-hit districts.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA), Chemists' Association, NGOs and other bodies have given 250 more ambulances, he added.

A fleet of ambulances was dispatched from the Government Medical College in Amritsar on Tuesday to provide crucial medical aid to flood victims.

These ambulances are fully equipped with essential supplies, Singh said.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in the state on Monday announced a closure of all colleges, universities and polytechnic institutes till September 3 in view of the continuous heavy rainfall.

Relief-and-rescue operations by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Army, BSF, police and district authorities are going on in the affected areas.

More than 16,000 people have so far been evacuated to safer places.

Severe floods had hit the state in 1988. Several districts were affected by floods in 2023 as well. PTI SUN RC