TANDA (Hoshiarpur): Asserting that Punjab is facing the worst floods in the recent history, the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Monday assured the people that the state government is with them in this hour of crisis and every effort will be made to bail them in this hour of crisis.
The Chief Minister, who undertook a whirlwind tour of the flood affected areas in Hoshiarpur, also interacted with the people in Shelter Home at Government Senior Secondary School Miani. During the interaction he said that natural fury has caused unprecedented damage across the state but the state government is carrying out massive operations for the rescue and relief of the flood affected people. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the state government has already taken several steps to give relief to the people in this unprecedented situation.
The Chief Minister also visited Rara Bridge to take stock of the situation at ground level in the flood affected areas. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that he had already written a letter to the Prime Minister and urged him to release Rs 60, 000 crore that was stuck with the Government of India. He said that the recent floods have impacted more than 1000 villages across the state and has affected lakhs of people.
The Chief Minister said that heavy monsoon rains, coupled with the release of waters from dams, have caused extensive flooding in more than 10 districts. He said that the situation is still evolving as there is a grave concern that conditions may further deteriorate in the coming days. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that at present, about three lakh acres of farmland, primarily paddy fields have submerged under floodwater, leading to devastating crop losses just weeks before harvest.
In addition, the Chief Minister said that there has been a widespread loss of livestock, which is severely impacting rural households whose livelihoods are heavily dependent on dairy and animal husbandry. He said that a strong multi-department workforce is already working round the clock, on the ground, to complete the relief and rescue work. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the breaches along the flooded rivers are being plugged and medical teams are being deployed to provide preventive care against diseases in every village.
The Chief Minister said that along with relief works, the teams are undertaking water sampling, outdoor and indoor spray, water chlorination, fever survey, card tests for timely detection of malaria and dengue, distribution of sanitary napkins and mosquito nets in coming times. He also said that the water supply and sanitation department is pressing in water tankers for providing clean and potable drinking water in the villages until the supply through water supply schemes is fully restored. Likewise, Bhagwant Singh Mann said that Water testing teams are being deployed to check water quality in all the villages to avoid any epidemic outbreak.
The Chief Minister said that besides water, dry ration kits, sugar, rice, wheat flour, ghee, milk powder are being provided to the people in marooned villages. He said that pumping operations are already in progress on a war footing adding that inundated villages are being cleared of water. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that medical relief is being provided to the affected people in relief camps, medical camps and even at their doorsteps.