CHANDIGARH: Following Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann's directives to monitor relief operations in flood-affected areas and establish direct communication with residents to provide immediate essential services, Water Resources Minister Sh. Barinder Kumar Goyal and Rural Development & Panchayati Raj Minister S. Tarunpreet Singh Sond today visited villages along the international border in Fazilka district to assess the impact of water influx in the Sutlej Creek.
During the visit, Sh. Barinder Kumar Goyal toured villages Kawanwali Pattan and Muhar Jamsher, while S. Tarunpreet Singh Sond also reached Muhar Jamsher village to inquire about the residents' challenges. After listening to the people's difficulties, they instructed the officials present on-site to immediately provide necessary facilities to the affected population.
Due to waterlogging on the connecting road to the village, both Sh. Barinder Kumar Goyal and S. Tarunpreet Singh Sond travelled to Muhar Jamsher village on tractors. However, water had not entered the village premises and all houses remain secure. Sh. Goyal informed that water inflow to the dams has currently decreased, raising hopes for relief in the coming days.
The Cabinet Ministers stated that the primary objective of this visit was not only to provide immediate solutions to people's problems but also to conduct a ground-level assessment for planning permanent solutions to the issue. They also gathered information about the current situation from officials.
The Cabinet Ministers said that the government has undertaken all possible measures to assist people during this natural calamity. Medical teams and animal husbandry department teams are being deployed to all affected villages and rations will be provided as needed. They assured that electricity supply is being maintained in all villages during nighttime.
"The Mann government has deployed comprehensive teams to provide immediate assistance to residents, " said the Cabinet Ministers, adding that all affected areas have been divided into sectors with designated sector officers to establish direct contact with people and provide aid to those in need. Contact numbers of residents from all villages are being collected by the administration to enable direct communication with every individual.
The Cabinet Ministers also announced that the government has already issued orders for special girdawari and compensation will be provided for all losses incurred by farmers. They said that officials have been instructed to remain stationed in villages to ensure immediate assistance to residents.
During the occasion, residents submitted a memorandum and S. Tarunpreet Singh Sond assured that he would personally deliver this memorandum to Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann. He praised the courage of border area residents, noting their support to security forces in national defense and affirmed that the government stands with them during these challenging times.