Punjab Chief Secretary, K.A.P. Sinha on Sunday said that the Punjab Government would ensure all possible help to people living in flood-hit areas of the state. While reviewing the flood relief operations in Kapurthala at Sultanpur Lodhi along with Water Resources Department Secretary Krishan Kumar, he interacted with the people of Baupur and Sangra.
He listened to their demands attentively and assured them that the Punjab Government would make serious efforts to find a permanent solution to protect 16 villages of Baupur Island from future floods. Sinha said that large-scale efforts were underway to evacuate people safely, provide shelter and ration, prevent the spread of diseases, and take care of livestock health in flood-affected areas.
He instructed the officers and employees engaged in relief work to treat their duties as a public service. Sinha also emphasized that during this difficult time, the administration must give priority to safeguarding lives and property, and especially speed up the evacuation of people from flood-affected areas.
The Chief Secretary, along with Rajya Sabha member Sant Baba Balbir Singh Seechewal, Improvement Trust Chairman Sajjan Singh Cheema and the Deputy Commissioner, visited flood-hit families by boat from Baupur bridge. He also reviewed the relief works being carried out by the District Administration with the help of the Army and SDRF.
Sinha assured that the Punjab Government has already ordered a special girdawari (crop loss assessment) to provide compensation for damages caused by floods. Special Tehsildars have also been deployed in affected areas to expedite this work. On this occasion, Deputy Commissioner Amit Kumar Panchal briefed the Chief Secretary about the affected areas in Kapurthala district.
The Army and SDRF teams were evacuating people to safety. Additionally, teams are visiting door-to-door in flood-hit villages to encourage residents to move to safe locations. The Deputy Commissioner said that the administration had made extensive arrangements to ensure every possible assistance to affected people.
Relief materials, food, medical services, and other essential facilities are being continuously provided to families. Relief camps had been set up at Fazlabad, Lakh Waryain, Ahli Kalan, Mand Kuka Gurdwara Sahib, and Bharoana Gurdwara Rabab Sar Sahib. He further added that teams from the Revenue, Health, Animal Husbandry, Water Resources, and other related departments were on 24-hour duty in flood-hit areas and are actively involved in relief operations.
On this occasion, Kapurthala Improvement Trust Chairman and Sultanpur Lodhi constituency in-charge Sajjan Singh Cheema, Kapurthala constituency in-charge Advocate Karambeer Singh Chandi, SSP Gaurav Toora, Additional Deputy Commissioner Navneet Kaur Ball, SDMs of Kapurthala, Bhulath, and Sultanpur Lodhi, along with heads of all departments, were present.