Punjab minister Kataruchak visits flood-hit villages near Indo-Pak border in Pathankot

Pathankot, Aug 25 (PTI) Punjab minister Lal Chand Kataruchak on Monday visited the flood-hit villages near the India-Pakistan border in Pathankot district, and said the state government will compensate for the losses suffered by the affected villagers.

Several villages near the India-Pakistan border were affected after the water level in Ujh and Ravi rivers and rivulets rose after heavy rain in Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.

Agricultural fields at many places adjoining the Ravi river got inundated because of the rising water level triggered by heavy rain in the catchment areas.

Many villagers claimed that their crops have been damaged.

Kataruchak along with Pathankot SSP Daljinder Singh Dhillon and Additional Deputy Commissioner Hardip Singh visited the affected villages to take stock of the situation.

Because of incessant rain in Jammu and Kashmir, rivers and rivulets in the region are in spate, causing damages at several places, said Kataruchak, who holds food, civil supplies and consumer affairs portfolios.

The relief operations in the affected areas are underway, he said, adding that people in the flood-hit areas are being evacuated to safer places.

"Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has already announced a special 'girdawari' (loss assessment) to assess the losses, which will be compensated," the minister said.

Efforts are underway to strengthen the 'dhussi bundh' -- ”an earthen embankment between Kohlian Aadda and Bahadurpur villages -- as the water level in the Ravi river has gone up following the release of water from the Thein dam, he said.

Kataruchak also took stock of the increased water level in the Ravi river, inspected a stretch of road from Dinanagar to Bamial, which was washed away on Sunday, and visited Wadwan, Makhanpur, Tas, and Pamma villages where he interacted with the people to know about their problems, officials said.

The Pathankot district administration on Monday declared a holiday in all the educational institutions in the wake of incessant rain, officials said.

"Keeping in mind the continuous rain in Pathankot district, a holiday is declared in all government/non-government schools, colleges and other educational institutions on August 25," an order issued by Deputy Commissioner Aditya Uppal read.

Punjab ministers Harbhajan Singh and Laljit Singh Bhullar, meanwhile, visited the flood-hit villages in Tarn Taran district to take stock of the situation.

Bhullar claimed the state government is providing every help to the affected families. PTI CHS ARI