Monthly Archives: August 2018

Why in the news?

Floods hit Punjab villages due to heavy rain in Himachal, high dam discharges (Bhakra, Pong, Ranjit Sagar), and regulated headworks flow.

About the Rivers, Dams, and Headworks of Punjab:

As the level of flood waters around the Beas in Sultanpur Lodhi has been rising, the district administration on Thursday requisitioned the Army to assist in evacuation of the affected families.

Army jawans reached the site with boats and quickly started the relief operation, helping farmers come out to safer places. The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) team on Thursday evacuated 100 persons from flood-affected villages and about 60 persons were brought out by the teams of AAP MP Balbir Seechewal.

The level of floodwater rose to 2.30 lakh cusecs this morning, endangering the lives of 2,000 persons choosing to stay back in the marooned villages in the mand areas. Seechewal’s team and the district administration pressed eight motor boats for relief. Seechewal said, “With the water level rising upto 8-10 feet in some locations, the affected farmers were waiting for evacuation. For the same reason, we felt that there is the shortage of motor boats and eight were insufficient to evacuate such a large number of A sunny weather and no rain, however, was the only solace for the villagers and the rescue teams. Meanwhile, the breach in temporary bundh widened to 700 feet, according to official sources.

As many villagers were still unwilling to come out, Deputy Commissioner, Kapurthala, Amit Kumar Panchal has made a fervent appeal to residents of Baupur Mand to immediately move to safer locations as the flood water level continues to rise following heavy rainfall in the hilly regions.

He emphasised that the safety of people remains the administration’s foremost priority and urged those still staying in their houses in affected areas to evacuate at once. The DC said emergency relief centres have been established at Government School in Lakh Waryan, Sultanpur Lodhi, and at Gurdwara Sahib in Mand Kooka for residents of Dhilwan block. These centres have been equipped with arrangements for accommodation, food supplies, and medicines.

40 animals rescued

The district administration has also intensified efforts to protect livestock in flood-affected regions. Officials confirmed that around 40 animals were rescued, using boats and safely relocated these to higher ground. Panchal said teams from the Animal Husbandry Department are conducting regular health check-ups, administering vaccinations, and asking dairy farmers to take preventive measures against water-borne diseases.

The DC appealed to residents in vulnerable areas to seek immediate assistance from administration teams to safeguard their animals. Dr RP Singh, Deputy Director of the Animal Husbandry Department, said six teams have been deployed round the clock for veterinary care. So far, the teams have treated nearly 512 animals and distributed over 172 quintals of fodder in affected areas.

The district administration has urged people to promptly contact control rooms for any assistance. Helpline numbers are 62800-49331, 01822-231990, and the Sultanpur Lodhi Sub-Division Flood Control Room at 01828-222169, all of which remain operational 24/7.

AAP leaders make beeline at flood site

Cabinet Minister Mohinder Bhagat visited flood-affected areas in Baupur to oversee ongoing relief operations. Accompanied by Seechewal, the minister travelled by a tractor to evaluate the government’s flood response efforts. Bhagat issued directives to expedite the evacuation of residents from the affected areas to safer locations. The minister instructed officials to enhance facilities at relief camps established at Lakha Varyan and Mand Kuka gurdwara, focusing on adequate shelter, medical supplies, and food ration. Special attention was directed toward meeting the healthcare needs of women, the elderly, and children. Bhagat also reviewed relief efforts in the flood-affected villages of Baguwal and Kamnewal in Dhilwan.

Jarnail Nangal, Chairman of the Phagwara Improvement Trust and Doaba Zone In-charge of Aam Aadmi Party’s SC Wing, went to Baupur mand area in extending immediate assistance to stranded residents. He, along with volunteers, actively helped in evacuating people trapped in rising waters.

Homes lost, humanity found in flood crisis as

Religious organisations distribute langar to residents of villages affected by floods at Gaggomahal village in Amritsar on Thursday. Tribune photo: Vishal Kumar

Severe floods have recently caused widespread damage across the state, forcing families from atleast 40 villages to leave their homes and belongings behind in areas near Ajnala. The rising waters destroyed houses, crops and livestock, leaving people in a state of shock and helplessness.

But in this time of crisis, a strong wave of support has come from individuals, organisations and religious and social groups who are working together to help the victims. The district administration too has set up three relief camps — Dana Mandi, Ajnala; Cooperative Sugar Mill, Bhalla Pind; and Gurdwara Guru Ka Bagh.

The administration officials informed that an animal shelter has also been set up in Ajnala, where feed and medical help for animals is also available. The administration has also issued helpline numbers for the public.

Apart from the administration, residents of the surrounding areas have also opened homes for people of affected areas. Many residents have made posts on the social media platforms in this regard.

Sarwan Singh Pandher of Kisan Mazdoor Sangarsh Committee said, “We are also setting up camps and langar at Fatehgarh Churrian-Ramdas road and Ajnala. The farmers are also helping the administration with their tractors and trolleys.”

Meanwhile, Balbir Singh Rajewal of Bharti Kisan Union has also issued directions to the members and leaders of the union to help people in this hour of need. “Atleast eight districts of the state have been affected and it is the duty of the residents of areas which remain unaffected to help those who have been affected,” he said.

Local organisation, Voice of Amritsar (VOA) has also come forward to help the residents of affected villages. Seenu Arora of VOA said, “We have set up a collection centre where city residents can contribute help for the affected areas. These centres have been set up at Gurdwara Chevin Patshahi Ranjit Avenue, Krishan Dham Mandir Ranjit Avenue, Ajanta Senior Secondary School Dhab Khatika, and Gurdwara Baba Bhkhari Sahib Majitha road.”

The water has reached in the villages near Ajnala town while many villages in the Fatehgarh Churian are also inundated in flood waters

he flood situation in Ramdass belt on the Amritsar and Gurdaspur border has turned grim.

Since the breach in the earthen embankments due to heavy release of water in the Ravi river, more villages had been flooded.

The water has reached in the villages near Ajnala town while many villages in the Fatehgarh Churian are also inundated in flood waters.

The peculiar situation that the administration has been facing that the residents in many villages are not leaving their houses. Apart from administration various NGO, religious organisations, farmer organisations are provided the relief material to those stranded in their houses.

Meanwhile, rescue operations were on in Ramdass area. Administration has been on their toes.

Jasbir Singh of Hardorawal village located in Fatehgarh Churian where the flood water reached yesterday said that the situation has turned dangerous.

Kot Maulvi village resident said that the entire village has been submerged in water and around 500 residents were stranded there. He said the village was ravaged because of Amritsar to Dera Baba Nanak railway line which is higher from the ground.

An all-terrain vehicle on its way to rescue villagers in Ramdass.

An all-terrain vehicle on its way to rescue villagers in Ramdass.

The flood crisis in Punjab’s Amritsar district has worsened, with 10 more villages of Ajnala and Lopoke subdivisions inundated over the past 24 hours and water now entering the low-lying areas of Ajnala town.

More than 50 villages have been marooned since Wednesday when the swollen Ravi breached a ‘dhussi bundh’ (earthen embankments) in Ramdass.

The district administration has so far shifted around 1,000 people to safer places, with some being rescued by air. Army and police personnel distributed food packets among the affected residents of the villages in Ramdass area, including Gonewawl, Machiwal, Shehzada, Jatta, Pashia, Talibpur, Nishoke, Singoke, Ghaggar, Nangal Sohal and Abbadi Chandigarh.

In some parts, rescue teams encountered resistance as some villagers refused to desert their waterlogged houses, preferring to stay on their rooftops.

The shortage of rescue teams too came to light as several villagers alleged that they had been waiting for two days to be shifted out. Ranjit Kumar of Mandirawala village near Ramdass managed to escape with his family after the water receded slightly. “We kept waiting for help for 50 hours, but to no avail. Our house walls developed cracks and we had to move out on our own. We will staying with our relatives in Amritsar until the situation improves,” said Ranjit.

Jasbir Singh of Hardorawal village in Fatehgarh Churian (Gurdaspur) said the water flow had increased significantly in the last 24 hours. “The floods are a reminder of the 1988 devastation. Our village is now under 10 feet of water,” he said.

A government official said a breach in the Kalanaur canal had caused the flooding in several Fatehgarh Churian villages.

Administrative Secretary Kamal Kishore Yadav and Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney supervised the relief and rescue operations in Ramdass and Ajnala. Sawhney said 45,000 drinking water bottles and more than 17,000 food packets were distributed, besides 100 quintals of dry fodder and 850 bags (50 kg each) of animal feed.

The unprecedented rise in the water level of Pong Dam has unleashed fresh turmoil in Fatehpur and Indora tehsils, submerging areas that had never before witnessed flooding since the dam’s construction in the early 1970s. With inflows breaking all previous records this monsoon, the reservoir has spilled over its natural boundaries, cutting off dozens of low-lying villages.

In Guler, an under-construction bridge now lies submerged, snapping vital road links to Nandpur, Barial, Luderet Katholi, Sugnara and Nagrota Surian. The swelling Gaj river, pushed back by the dam’s waters, has further blocked access to Amlela and Ghar Jarot, leaving residents dependent on Nagrota Surian virtually stranded. Local mobility has almost ground to a halt.

The rising waters have also swallowed the legendary Bathu temples, which briefly appear during dry months.

Adding to the community’s woes, the newly inaugurated Eco Park at Dehra, a Forest Department initiative, has been inundated. Divisional Forest Officer Sunny Verma said the park has been shut to visitors for safety. “Backwaters have entered the premises, forcing us to remove swings, statues and other installations as a precaution,” he explained. With upstream rainfall still feeding the reservoir, authorities remain on high alert.

The tribal district of Lahaul-Spiti witnessed widespread disruption and destruction due to continuous heavy rainfall from August 25 to 27.

The intense downpour triggered multiple landslides and flashfloods across various parts of the district, leading to the blockage of Manali-Leh highway and several other link roads, leaving hundreds of tourists, locals and travellers stranded in remote areas.

In response, the district administration, under the leadership of Deputy Commissioner and chairperson of the District Disaster Management Authority, Lahaul-Spiti, Kiran Bhadana, swiftly launched coordinated relief and rescue operations.

The efforts involved joint collaboration between the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), the Public Works Department (PWD), the police, local women’s groups, voluntary organisations and residents.

According to the DC, cooked meals were distributed to stranded people on the first day from Keylong. Later, the Sissu Mahila Mandal set up a community kitchen (langar) to provide food to trapped tourists and truck drivers. Essential relief materials such as dry rations, blankets, quilts and sleeping bags were distributed to those in need.

The DC said in critical medical cases, three seriously ill patients, including a pregnant woman, were rescued and transported to the Regional Hospital, Keylong. They were later airlifted to Kullu Regional Hospital on Thursday, with the medical team accompanying them throughout the operation, ensuring proper care during the evacuation.

“Significant rescue operations were also conducted at various locations 250 to 300 individuals were stranded between Pagal Nala and Teling Nala; 148 passengers in 107 vehicles were trapped between Jispa and Stingri; and 80 to 90 people were stuck near Udaipur,” she added. All of them were provided with food and temporary shelters by the administration.

“A group of 13 students and four teachers from Kolkata were accommodated in the PWD Rest House in Keylong,” the DC said.

“Efforts to locate missing persons bore fruit as three pilgrims from Mooring village, headed to Manimahesh, were found. One has safely returned home, while the other two are continuing their journey with local shepherds, depending on weather conditions,” she said.

The DC said the majority of tourists were safely transported to Manali and not a single tourist was stranded in the Lahaul valley. Now, the focus would be on moving stranded carrier vehicles, including trucks from the Lahaul valley, towards their respective destinations, she added.

The DC said a special rescue team was being dispatched to Miyar Valley to evacuate 30 to 35 stranded Gaddis (nomadic shepherds). The team is expected to reach the valley soon and carry out the operation to bring them back safely. “The restoration of essential services was carried out on a war footing.”

“Telecom services were restored on Wednesday while the power supply resumed on Friday. Teams from BRO and PWD have been working round-the-clock to reopen blocked roads, and many key routes have already been cleared,” said DC Bhadana.

Despite the harsh weather and tough terrain, she personally visited the affected areas, supervised rescue and relief efforts, and boosted the morale of frontline workers. She also coordinated with various departments to ensure timely restoration of electricity, water supply and mobile connectivity.

A 65-year-old farmer in Lalru was reportedly swept away in the Jharmal rivulet this morning.

Locals said Janak Singh Saini was returning from his fields across the rivulet in his cart. As he tried to cross it, the cart overturned. He, along with the bullocks, was swept away in the strong current. The cattle were found later but there was no trace of Janak. Police officials said they were searching for the victim.

Landslides, waterlogging and damage to key roads reported in the district

The record rain that lashed Panchkula on Thursday night caused landslides, waterlogging and damage to key roads in the district.

A major landslide disrupted traffic on the Panchkula-Morni road. The Industrial Park-Barwala road caved in. Authorities cleared the debris to restore normal traffic movement of traffic.

A section of the highway near the Jhuriwala dumping ground also caved in due to waterlogging.

Experts expressed concern that rainwater seeping through the garbage at the dumping site is contaminating the subsoil. They fear, it could pollute tubewell water used for drinking purpose across Panchkula. Residents have urged for immediate testing of water samples.

A large portion of the bridge on the Khatauli-Alipur road was washed away. A swollen tributary of the Ghaggar river caused extensive damage to road infrastructure, snapping connectivity of local areas with the Panchkula.

Meanwhile, images circulating on social media highlighted cracks near the newly built Ghaggar bridge connecting Peer Muchalla and Sector 26. Earlier also during the onset of monsoon this year, the same part of the bridge had suffered damage.

Engineers, however, told The Tribune that part of the embankment was washed away, not the bridge.

Severe waterlogging was also reported in Sector 15. Uprooted trees blocked the Sectors 11-14 road, leading to traffic chaos during the morning hours.

Meanwhile, teams of the Panchkula administration carried out repairs to restore road connectivity. However, experts warned that recurring soil erosion at the embankments points to a structural weakness, requiring long-term rectification measures.

17 schools closed

DC Monika Gupta has announced the closure of several schools in Morni, Raipur Rani and Barwala on Saturday as heavy rain left their premises waterlogged. Government Senior Secondary Schools in Barwala, and Parwala; primary schools in Marog, Khopar, Bijlag, Sahlon, Samlotha, Shilyon, Chaplana, Chhamla, Teepra, Runja Dakar, Slahon Redua, Mohri and Plasara; and middle schools in Singhwala as well as Prempura will remain closed.

Pakistan army chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir on Friday said Sikh religious sites, including Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur, hit by the massive floods would be restored to their original shape.

Field Marshal Munir, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), visited flood-affected areas of Punjab province, including Sialkot sector, Shakargarh, Narowal and Kartarpur, to review the flood situation and the ongoing rescue and relief efforts, according to a statement by the army.

Pakistan’s largest province, Punjab, has been reeling under severe floods for almost a week. As of Friday, at least 22 people have died over the last 24 hours and at least 1,700 villages across the province, including the Sikh sacred site of Kartarpur, were inundated.

The COAS was given a comprehensive brief on the prevailing situation and the preparations in view of the next spell of rains.Munir interacted with the affected Sikh community of the area and “assured them that all religious sites, including Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur, affected during floods will be completely revived to their original condition on priority,” the statement said.

The Sikh community welcomed the COAS at the Sialkot sector and thanked him for the services being extended by the civil administration and the Army during the calamity.

Pakistan opened the Kartarpur Corridor in November 2019.

Around 4.1 kilometres from the Pakistan-India border, the corridor links Pakistan’s Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, where Guru Nanak lived and died at the start of the 16th century, to Dera Baba Nanak in Punjab’s Gurdaspur district.

The 4 km-long corridor provides visa-free access to Indian pilgrims to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib.

Local administration and the army personnel on Wednesday rescued around 150 officials and Sikh pilgrims stranded after floodwaters from the Ravi submerged the entire complex of the Kartarpur corridor, including the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib.