The disastrous floods in Punjab have created significant disruption in many districts, affecting countless families, which are now facing challenges in meeting basic needs. In response to this, the Punjab government is distributing large scale relief materials in the affected areas, and the minister is playing an active role in monitoring and strengthening of river embankments in the entire region.
Finance Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema today participated in packing daily needs for the needy flood affected families in his Didba office. He reiterated that no flood affected family should be deprived of relief material. He said that the volunteers of Didba assembly constituency collected relief material from their hard earned money. In addition, a truck filled with relief material prepared by the district veterinary authorities was sent to the affected areas.
Cabinet ministers Harjot Singh Bans are constantly monitoring the situation in Nangal and Shri Anandpur Sahib. He inspected the river embankments and took over the ongoing rescue work to fill the crack near Lakshmi Narayan Temple at Nangal Dam for the third consecutive day. He assured that he will be present on the spot till the relief work is fully completed.
Meanwhile, Cabinet Minister S. Harbhajan Singh (ETO) sent relief materials including medicines, drought milk, flour, fodder and animal food with a medical team for flood affected families of Ajnala constituency from his Jandiala Guru office. He also distributed relief materials in Malikpur and Sarai villages. He met Simarjit Kaur of Romana Chak village and met the hospital, who was injured by falling the roof and assured her of all possible help.
Today Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh and Punjab Panchayat Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond visited the border villages of Fazilka district and reached Gulaba Bhaini by boat to distribute relief materials.
Meanwhile, Haryana Chief Minister Naib Singh Saini today flagged off the vehicles carrying relief material for flood affected areas of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab from the state BJP office.
The Chief Minister today sent 15 trucks filled with relief material from Panchkula to Punjab and 10 trucks for Himachal Pradesh. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta also flagged off the trucks carrying relief material for the flood victims of Punjab from Delhi BJP state office. On Saturday, the Chief Minister of Delhi announced that the Delhi government will contribute Rs 5 crore to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund to deal with the current crisis of Punjab. He also prayed for the early recovery of the affected families.
Given the seriousness of the situation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit the flood affected area of Gurdaspur in Punjab on 9 September, as the Punjab BJP announced on Sunday. Prime Minister Modi will review rescue and relief operations and meet families of flood affected people.
Honorable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is coming to Gurdaspur in Punjab on 9 September. The Punjab BJP said in a post, “He will meet the flood affected siblings and farmers directly and share their grief and take all possible steps to help the victims.”
He said, “This visit of the Prime Minister proves that the BJP government at the Center is always standing with the people of Punjab and will give full support in this difficult time.” According to an official statement, 481 teams of the Punjab Animal Husbandry Department are continuously working to ensure the care and welfare of the flood affected animals.
Punjab’s Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Fisheries Minister S.K. Gurmeet Singh Khudi said that each team consists of four members, including a veterinary officer, a veterinary inspector or a pharmacist and a fourth class employee.
Highlighting the destructive effects of floods, Sardar Gurmeet Singh Khudian said that 504 cattle, 73 waves and 160 yolks were killed in 14 districts including Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Ferozepur, Fazilka, Kapurthala, Barnala, Bathinda, Hoshiarpur, Tarnatran, Patiala, Jalandhar, Rupnagar and Moga.
Additionally, 18,304 poultry birds died due to collapse of poultry sheds in Gurdaspur, Rupnagar and Fazilka. He further said that about 5,88,685 animals and 5,88,685 poultry were affected by the floods. Referring to the major relief efforts being made by the Department of Husbandry, he said that 481 teams have been deployed for the treatment of affected animals and arrangements for medicines. So far 22,534 animals have been treated.
A non-governmental organization has also come forward to help the flood victims. Volunteers of a non-governmental organization called Jyoti Foundation are providing drinking water, medicines and ripe ration in the flood affected areas of Fazilka.
The National Awards Released Teachers Association (NATA) has come forward to support the flood relief efforts of the Punjab State Government and it has made Punjab Education Minister S.K. Harjot Singh Bains has presented a check of Rs 1.25 lakh.
A delegation of National Award Teachers under the leadership of NATA President Dr. Balram Sharma met Minister Bains and urged the Chief Minister of Punjab to contribute to the flood relief fund and assured the state government to give full support in this challenging situation.
Minister Bains appreciated the National Award winning teachers and said, “They are the pride of the Department of Education.” He appreciated their initiatives and efforts to assist the flood affected people and their will to make positive impact in the community. Balaram Sharma, Amarjeet Singh Chahal and other members of Nata assured the Education Minister that Nata would continue their cooperation to reduce the educational loss of students in the Punjab flood affected areas, which clearly makes their commitment to education during crisis. The delegation credited the inspiration for his initiative to Mr. Harjot Singh Bains, who has been a pioneer under the supervision of rescue and relief operations in the flood affected areas of Rupnagar district.
According to officials, 46 people have died due to floods in Punjab till Saturday. According to officials, 46 people have lost their lives due to floods in Punjab till Saturday. Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said that about 2,000 villages and more than four lakh people have been affected. He said that 24 teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and two teams of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are posted on the ground with the help of 144 boats and a state government helicopter.
He said that the Revenue Department has released Rs 71 crore for relief efforts. Planning minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond said on Sunday that 40 villages of the state are affected by floods and rescue teams, administration and volunteers are engaged in relief work.
