Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today dared the state Congress President Mr. Partap Singh Bajwa to get the amount of flood compensation hiked from their government at the Centre for helping the victims of this natural tragedy in the state.Addressing the gathering during his visit in the flood affected water logged areas of Sri Muktsar Sahib District here today, the Chief Minister said that rather than shedding crocodile tears over this grave issue, the Congress leaders including Mr. Bajwa should take up the case of enhancing the meager compensation given to victims of natural tragedy, with the Union government. Mr. Badal said that the Punjab Congress leaders owes an answer to the flood victims for their stoic silence against the riders imposed by centre, which were debarring the state government from helping the victims of this natural tragedy. He said that the Congress leaders were criticizing the state government for the sake of criticism but on the other hand they were mum over the meager compensation being given by the Union Government to compensate the flood victims for the unprecedented loss due to fury of floods in water logged areas.
The Chief Minister said that it was strange that on one hand the victims of flood affected areas have been ruined due to whopping loss of infra structure and standing crops but on the other Mr. Bajwa and other MPs besides Union Ministers from the state were silent over the discriminatory approach of Union government towards the flood victims adding he said that Bajwa and Co. by issuing senseless and irrational statements in the media were just rubbing salts into the wounds of the distressed victims who have been virtually vanished by the fury of floods. Mr. Badal advised the Congress leaders to do something constructive instead of politicking on this grave tragedy. Cautioning the Congress leaders to refrain from politicizing this sensitive issue, he said that the people of state would not forgive the Congress leaders for their sinful activities and dubious role.
The Chief Minister categorically said that venomous statements issued by the state Congress leaders reflected their complete insensitivity towards this serious problem confronted by the people adding that it had once again exposed the anti-Punjab face of the Congress leaders. Mr. Badal said that it was the high time that all the political parties must have united for extending a helping hand to the flood victims but as usual the Congress leadership has vitiated the atmosphere of state for their vested interests.
Soliciting active support and co-operation of the people for constructing the drains as per natural flow of water, the Chief Minister said that it would help in combating the menace of water logging in the state more effectively. He pointed out that the only solution to tackle the problem of the water logging was the construction of drains in accordance with its ‘valley line’ or natural flow. Mr. Badal said that in the larger interest of the state and the region the people must rise above their personal considerations and vested interests to cooperate with the government for constructing the drains in a ‘fair manner’, even if it has to pass from their own land.
The Chief Minister said that it was the high time that the entire state must join its hand for tackling this grave menace which was the ‘sorrow of Malwa region’ as the agrarian and industrial economy of this region has been ruined by it. He said that the officers of the state government were working overtime to assess the entire situation and chalk out a ‘master plan’ to ensure that new drains were constructed in a proper manner to check this menace. He said that with the completion of the survey for master plan the work on constructing the drains would start so as to eradicate this menace.
The Chief Minister said that he had also sought the support of the experts of the Government of India (GoI) to guide the officers of the state government for strengthening, widening and upgrading the drains to check the menace of water logging. He said that soon a team of Planning Commission of India (PCI) would visit the state to ascertain the entire situation. “The Government cannot work in isolation and the support of people is required to accomplish this gigantic task. So let us join hands to eradicate water logging from the state”, added Mr. Badal.On the third day of his tour the Chief Minister addressed the grievances of 38 Panchayats at villages Marar Kalan, Bariwala, Bajaan Marar, Bahmanwala, Lubanyawali, Lande Rhode and Kotli Dewan.
The Chief Minister was accompanied by Lok Sabha MP Mr. Sher Singh Ghubaya, Youth Akali leader Mr. Kanwarjeet Singh Rozi Barkandi, Chairman District Planning Board Sri Muktsar Sahib Mr. Hardeep Singh Dimpi Dhillon, Chairman Punjab State Cooperative Bank Mr. Sukhdarshan Singh Marar, his Special Principal Secretary Mr. KJS Cheema and Deputy Commissioner Mr. Paramjeet Singh.