indianexpress

Punjab lawmakers join rescue teams in helping flood-hit villagers

AS SITUATION in village Nihalewala in Ferozepur district turned grim Wednesday morning, Ferozepur (Urban) MLA Parminder Pinki along with DC Chander Gaind accompanied Army officials in a motorboat on a rescue mission. Pinki urged people to come out of their houses and move to safer places. About 50 persons were rescued from the village by the Army’s rescue team.
Classes at the government primary school in village were on when water in Sutlej started rising, DC Gaind helped move a few kids out of the school building just in time.  “We had sent messages to schools to stay closed. Perhaps due to connectivity issue, the message was not delivered. So, we rescued kids and took them to a relief camp in the city area through multiple motorboat visits,” he said.
Pinki, who was similarly active during evacuation drive ordered after the 2016 surgical strike, was again seen moving from village to village Tuesday afternoon. “Over 22 villages in my constituency are under threat of floods and evacuation of villagers is being done from these villages. It is not that I am MLA of the area, but I feel that it is my moral duty,” he said.
In Ferozepur, over 50 villages were under the grip of flooded Sutlej river as on Tuesday. Zira MLA Kulbeer Zira toured villages in his constituency on a motorbike along with Khadoor Sahib MP Jasbir Singh Dimpa after a breach occurred in Dhussi Bundh in Gidderpindi area of Jalandhar and flooded villages here.
Zira was in the villages Tuesday night as well as on Wednesday morning. He said,”I made nearly 25 visits to villages in Mallanwala, Zira and Makhu areas to rescue people. A few came out in Army boats while few others continued to stay back as they were not ready to leave their houses. So ration was supplied to them.”
In Phillaur, water receded Tuesday morning. Phillaur MLA Baldev Karia had toured the villages Monday. Jalandhar MP Santokh Chaudhary was present when 86 persons were rescued after a breach occurred near Bholewala Kadim village. In a video message, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal appealed to all party workers to help people by personally visiting in flood-affected areas. He had even asked SGPC to provide langar to flood-affected families.
In Phillaur Headworks, water level receded to 52,000 cusecs, while it was 80,000 cusecs at Ropar Headworks Tuesday evening.
“Breaches occurred at nine points in various districts of Punjab where relief work is going on,” said Sanjeev Gupta, Chief Engineer, Drainage Department, Punjab.
At Harike Headworks, all the gates were open even on Tuesday and hence water continued to flow towards Pakistan.  “However the same water rotates and comes back towards India as is the course of water, hence how much water will come back depends on the flow of water,” said a Canal Department official. Meanwhile, information revealed that nearly 57,000 cusecs of water is going towards Pakistan from Hussainiwala as well, apart from from Harike Headworks.
No fresh spell of rainfall was reported Tuesday morning in Punjab and Haryana, though a flood-like situation prevailed in many parts of both states.

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