Punjab: Special '€˜girdawari'€™ starts to assess losses due to floods

Chandigarh, Sep 13 (PTI) Punjab Revenue Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian said on Saturday that a special "girdawari" for assessing losses caused by recent floods commenced across the state on Saturday.

Mundian directed all the officials concerned to carry out the exercise in a transparent, time-bound and result-oriented manner, so that no affected family is left out from receiving rightful compensation.

In a statement, the minister said the crucial drive has been launched in line with the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, who has promised that every flood victim in Punjab will receive compensation within 45 days.

He stressed that the entire exercise must be executed with utmost integrity and accountability, adding that compensation is not a favour to the affected people but their right.

Mundian made it clear that any negligence or deliberate delay on the part of officials will invite strict disciplinary action.

He said the entire process will be personally monitored on a daily basis by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in the state to ensure fairness and efficiency.

The minister further directed that revenue officials from non-affected areas be deployed in the flood-hit villages to ensure timely completion of the assessment.

He informed that 2,167 "patwaris" (revenue officials) have been deputed across the flood-affected areas for conducting the assessment of losses.

Teams will move from village to village, conduct field inspections and prepare reports on crop damage, house losses and livestock deaths, he added.

"Farmers and residents will also be given an opportunity to raise objections, if any, within a week, so that corrections can be incorporated without any delay," Mundian said, while reiterating the chief minister's announcement that the Punjab government has finalised the highest-ever compensation in the state's history.

Farmers will receive Rs 20,000 per acre for crop loss, families whose houses have collapsed will be given Rs 1.2 lakh and those with partially-damaged houses will get Rs 40,000.

Likewise, livestock losses will also be compensated in accordance with the approved norms, including Rs 37,500 for a cow or a buffalo and Rs 4,000 for a goat.

He said according to the latest flood report, the total crop area affected across Punjab is around 1,98,525 hectares, with major losses reported from Gurdaspur (40,169 hectares), Patiala (17,690 hectares), Tarn Taran (12,828 hectares) and Fazilka (25,182 hectares), among other areas.

The minister said with one more fatality reported from Moga district in the last 24 hours, the death toll due to the floods has gone up to 56.

He asserted that the AAP government is committed to giving cheques to the affected people within 45 days.

In villages where the entire crop has been destroyed, the process will be completed in a month to provide immediate relief. Compensations for houses and livestock loss will be disbursed from September 15 and completed within the stipulated timeline, the minister said. PTI CHS RC