Current Events :
He is Brig BS Gill ,VrC (retd) ex 12 JAT. He has donated an ambulance worth Rs.20 lacs to a village of NE state village where he had been a post cdr in late 70s. The donation is in the memory of his wife,who recently left for heavenly abode. His two sons are in Army and serving as Brig and Lt Col respectively.Loved by the villagers.🙏🏽
*_1. The trg duration for the Women Officers ( WO ) batches, which was considered in SB3 of Jan 2023, was Six Months only. Their contemporaries in IMA underwent 18 months trg with different physical stds due to Male Female anatomical differences. Both got commissioned as Lt and are having similar conditions of service now. What is the need of having additional trg of one Year at IMA and additional 4 months at OTA? Isn’t govt exchequer monetarily at loss for this additional trg period to achieve same result???_*
*_2. The trg duration for the WO batches considered in SB3 of Jan 2023 during JC (MLTOC) with reduced professional syllabus was Six Weeks only. Their contemporary Gentlemen Offrs underwent earlier 12 or now 10 weeks trg. And both are being emp for similar duties and are having similar conditions of service now. What is the need of having additional trg of 4-6 weeks? Isn’t govt exchequer monetarily at loss for this additional trg period for Gentlemen Offrs to achieve same result???_*
*_3.The trg duration for the WO batches considered in SB3 of Jan 2023 during proposed SC is again Six Weeks only. Their contemporary Gentlemen offrs underwent earlier minimum 10 weeks trg. Both are emp for similar duties and are having similar conditions of service now as COs. What is the need and logic of having additional trg of 4 weeks for Gentlemen offrs going to Comd similar units now? Isn’t govt exchequer monetarily at loss for this additional trg period for Gentlemen Offrs to achieve same results??? Is ARTRAC a welfare comd or trg comd meant for enforcement of similar rigorous trg for all irrespective of genders. The War College too seems to be diluting it’s professional stds_*.
*_4. SCO offrs are not considered for Comd appts as if they have been trained differently for Adm duties only. They too undergo similar trg and courses as that mandatory for WOs. Infact they have more service and maturity to handle Comd appts because of better EQ and empathy to men. Why then they are unfit for Comd and are employed only on Staff, ERE or Regtl appts?_*
*_5. The course profile of Gentlemen Offrs vis a vis WOs of same batch on comparison reveals that some of the WOs were at the bottom rung in career courses and are now being allotted Comd Criteria appts whereas Gentlemen offrs even with Staff Course Qualifications are superseded due to limited vacancies. There is no comparison on account of CRs too. The cutoff CR gradings of Gentlemen offrs and WOs of same batch is poles apart and Gentlemen offrs with CR gradings close to SB3 cutoff are being appointed for mundane appts like NCC, MCO, Est Offr, Camp Comdts, Edn Offr, etc whereas with lower merit on courses and CR, WOs are being given Comd criteria appts, which will have serious manifestations on the trg and operational preparedness of units and the personnel. Why MS branch has dubious standards and what is the compulsion for making such hasty decisions which will kill the essence of meritocracy in Army? It is further learnt that with one or two AE reports in next year or two, these same WOs will be eligible for screening by SB2 too. And due to the specifically allotted vacancies, they will surely pick up Brig’s rank too._*
*_6. All Gentlemen offrs of similar batches have more wide and prosperous experience of comdg troops as most of the WOs every year have been availing full quota of leave along with Maternity Leaves, Child Care Leaves, Furlough, absenting themselves on some pretext or the other from maximum trg exs and operational discussions. Barring few, all WOs with nearly an average 20 yrs service, none has leave accumulated as an average Gentlemen offr would have. This itself is a testimony of commitment to the appts held by them in past. The staff experience of WOs is equally affected. Also, nearly all of them have availed the MS branch magnanimous clause of Compassionate Postings (even multiple times) on various pretext which if checked deliberately will embarrass the biard of offrs who recommended their CG postings and extant welfare bd @SB-3. Spouse coord postings are as such being made regularly without exceptions to suit their personal requirements only rather than in organisational interests._*
*_7. Most of the WOs being considered for Comd have already achieved the age of 46 years and as per age criteria not fit to be placed as COs of units. Why are exceptions or waivers being given on issues which have direct repercussions on the basic thread and ethos of Unit Comd._*
*_8. Also, some of these WOs are long term LMCs and balance are having severe Obesity, Medical, Surgical, Gynae issues which they have been successfully hiding till now. No SRMB has been done for the WOs, whereas LMC Gentlemen offrs of batches screened after 2012 are suffering the wrath of such boards. To an extent approx 15 offrs of 2003 batch having been declared B FIT in SB3 were not even found Fit even for Staff/ERE/Instructional appts, leave aside Comd Criteria appts. 14 have got redress through AFT recently and one still remains a approved cum superseded Lt Col for posterity. It is requested that all approved WOs must go through Special Medical exam and only those declared Fit for Comd appts be appointed on such appts._*
*_9. In the pretext of honouring the one sided non holistic directions of Hon’ble Supreme Court, MS branch is compromising on various extant rules and provns laid down after years of experience and on ground implementation. The basic philosophy of HR management for offrs is under threat and likely to have negative results in near future itself. So many policies, titles, regulations have been ignored to suit the reqmts of WOs. MS branch must inform all offrs about these exceptions, policy changes etc soon less the case becomes a never ending law suits_*.
*_10. At one end govt is taking plea of meritocracy for Agniveer recruitment and at this end it is nearly distributing freebies to the WOs as if they were BPL citizens._*
*_11. Hence, why is MS branch compulsorily giving Comd criteria appts to these early WO batches with limited comd and staff experience, below merit overall performance, limited physical service, and lower physical standarss ? Also, if they have gone through separate and special SB3, then why can’t MS branch have separate employment options and rules for these batches – they be employed in Staff, ERE and Instructional appts. The short cut to success method adopted by bunch of compromised quality WOs and MS branch to save it’s own skin in front of Supreme Court is likely to affect the morale, motivation and professional environment of one of the most professional Armies in the world soon. There is an urgent and inescapable need to stop this unthoughtful act of disservice to the nation and Army as an organisation._*
*_It is once again reiterated that no one is against equality on any account, but giving equal opportunity to ineligible or compulsorily made eligible candidates, that too at the cost of better qualified and eligible superseded offrs, is organised betrayal to the military service, organisation and nation. Further WOs of 2008 onward batches should be considered for Comd appts as they will face same SB3._*
Requests and Regards from,
All Superseeded Lt Cols of IA
London, July 13
A seaside village in southern England commemorated the contributions and sacrifice of Indian soldiers who fought in World War I, known as the Great War, at a memorial created in honour of the army hospitals that cared for the wounded at the time.
The Friends of the Indian Soldiers Memorial and New Milton Town Council joined hands to organise a commemoration earlier this week at the Indian Memorial Obelisk located in Barton-on-Sea in Hampshire.
The Friends of the Indian Soldiers Memorial, a group formed last year, is keen to promote and share the heritage and history of the memorial – which was originally unveiled over a century ago in July 1917 in honour of the Indian troops who convalesced at Barton-on-Sea during World War 1.
“As we stand here today on the seafront, we can only hope that when they walked here, they would have been greeted by local people who would have thanked them for coming here and fighting their war,” Shrabani Basu, the UK-based author of ‘For King and Another Country: Indian Soldiers on the Western Front, 1914-1918’, said in a keynote address at the event.
“And they would also be happy to know that over a 100 years later we would gather in this spot and remember them. Today there are descendants of the soldiers living in Britain who can be proud of what their ancestors achieved… Let us remember that there is a corner of a British field that is forever India. And it is our shared history that makes our shared future,” she said.
The British Indian historian also spoke of how over 73,000 Indian soldiers gave their lives in foreign fields during the British colonial period and also shared some of the stories of bravery and sacrifice that won many of them royal honours and medals.
The Indian Memorial Obelisk in their memory bears two inscriptions, one side in English and the other side is a translation in Urdu.
“This Memorial is erected to commemorate the establishment at Barton on Sea in 1914 of the Convalescent Depot for Indian Troops who fought in Europe during the Great War and was subscribed for by members of the staff,” it reads.
Harmeet Singh Brar, one of the founding members of the Friends of the Indian Soldiers Memorial, said: “The Obelisk is a symbol of our cultural history, a symbol of courage that binds us together as we remember our ancestors fighting for freedom, that freedom that allows us to be here together today.
“It is the intention of the Friends group to continue to promote that cultural history, nurturing interest for this incredible piece of history, by engaging with the community and encouraging relationships with other heritage groups.”
The Act of Remembrance, to be an annual event, was attended by the Deputy Lieutenant of Hampshire, civic leaders and representatives from local schools as well as members of the public.
“I feel it is so important to remember the close bond between the local people of New Milton and Barton on Sea and the wonderful Indian soldiers who briefly shared our town during those awful days of the Great War,” said Callum Murray, a student at Durlston Court School and an honorary member of the Friends group.
“The continued bond is represented by the soldiers’ Obelisk, and it is always an honour to play my small part to ensure the past is remembered and the future is embraced, as we would not have this opportunity without their sacrifice,” he said.
The Friends of the Indian Soldiers Memorial has a mission to actively promote the history of the Indian Army in the New Forest region of Hampshire to a wide audience, including the Indian communities in the UK, schools and other groups.
The group is also researching the names and background stories of the Indian soldiers who died locally.
Vijay Mohan
Chandigarh, July 11
The Armed Forces Tribunal has, while granting disability benefits to a retired naval officer over 40 years after his discharge from service, struck down provisions of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) regulations that said invalid pension is applicable in only those cases where civilian re-employment is restricted.
“We hold that the words in Clause 2 of the MoD letter dated 16-07-2020, which requires a permanent incapacity for civil re-employment as well, to be wholly unconstitutional,” the Tribunal’s Bench comprising Justice Anu Malhotra and Rear Admiral Dhiren Vig ruled.
The requirement of permanent incapacitation for civil re-employment for invalid pension to armed forces personnel with less than 10 years of qualifying service in cases where personnel are invalided out of service on account of any bodily or mental infirmity, which is neither attributable to nor aggravated by military service, and which permanently incapacitates them from military service is unconstitutional and unreasonable and not based on any intelligible differentia nor reasonable classification and is thus set aside, the bench said.
The petitioner, a Navy Lieutenant, had joined service in January 1977 and was invalided out of service in December 1982 after being placed in low medical category on account of epilepsy.
He contended that the proceedings of the invaliding medical board and other documents were not provided to him and that he could not have been invalided out in the medical category in which he had been placed. A single discharge certificate issued to him simply stated that he was invalided out for being medically unfit for naval service.
He also averred that during his service of five years and 354 days, he was out on the seas most of the time and thus the disability caused to him was attributable to military service. It was only in 1982 that he was first diagnosed with the disease.
He submitted that after being invalided out at the age of 26 years, the only thing on his mind was to find employment and it was on legal advice in the matter that he took up his case with the naval authorities in May 2019. He requested them for the relevant documents but was informed that they had been destroyed after the stipulated period.
Observing that the MoD’s letter was an over reach over an earlier judgement of the Supreme Court in a similar matter, the Bench held that it was also in total violation of the right to equality and right to live with dignity and respect in terms of the Rights of Person with Disabilities Act, 2016.
Stating that Act provides that the government shall take steps to utilise the capacity of persons with disabilities by providing an appropriate environment and that such persons will not be discriminated against, the Bench directed the government to calculate and sanction the officer’s invalid pension and related benefits from the date of his invalidment from service.
If name alone could deliver, then all else becomes redundant and in fact superfluous. Will the term Agniveer serve the purpose! Before bringing in a change, in an existing system, particularly any drastic recasting of it, the first and foremost point is that some drawbacks or failing should have surfaced in the prevalent system.
Before an existing system of recruitment and service conditions, particularly one, which, if has been delivering well in the past, is dumped, it must be properly assessed and analysed. At the same time when we adopt a new system of recruitment in the military, namely, Agniveer system, the underlying rationale for the change should have been spelled out. Did those recruited under the previous system not perform well during 1965, 1971 and Kargil war! If those recruited under the existing system and service conditions measured up to the required standards, then there can hardly be a requirement for its change. At the same time a whimsical attempt at change can result in failures.
During the early eighties, a view was projected that the officer selection system required change. Army Headquarters did not go in for any change before examining, in detail, the existing system: its drawbacks and failings if any. A committee was formed to examine the officer selection system and recruitment of other ranks, under the chairmanship of the Central Army Commander
I was the Chairman of the sub committee tasked to examine the officer selection system and recommend changes etc, if so required. I spent time with, Selection Boards, Commandant Indian Military Academy and number of commanding officers. Then a questionnaire (with couple of dozens, questions) was forwarded to 300 commanding officers, who had commanded units during 1965 and 1971 wars. The questions related to performance of young officers both during peace and war, their probity, leadership skills and competency. To avoid subjectivity, commanding officers were not to note the names of their units in response to the questionnaire. The feed-back from commanding officers, IMA and Selection Boards was positive: calling for no change in the selection system. I gave a presentation to the Chief of Army Staff at Army Headquarters on the outcome of my study, which resulted in status quo of the existing system.
The point is that no change should be brought about for the sake of change. Unfortunately a drastic change in the enrolment of other ranks in the defence services have been brought about without proper and known examination of existing system, it's efficacy in terms of performance of those inducted into defence services through this system, during various wars and peace time. Nor was the issue adequately debated within the services.
Soldiering is unlike any other profession. It calls for total dedication, commitment to a cause, acceptance of extreme hardships and ever willingness to sacrifice one’s life. Camaraderie, and regimental spirit are essential requirements in a soldier and to build these requires time, good leadership and right motivation and appropriate environments.
Under the changed recruitment system, an Agniveer is to serve for a period of 4 years ( including one year of training ) after which only 25 percent would be retained and the remaining 75 percent discharged from service with, one time monetary grant of Rs 11 lakhs. Those retained would serve for another 15 years only. So far it appears that the first 4 years would not be counted. The catch in this being that if at some future date courts were to order the inclusion of these four years, the total service would be 19 years, which would be one year short of earning fifty percent as pension of last pay drawn.
Much talked about background to the decision for bringing in this system is the excess burden of pension of ex servicemen. If that is the underlying reason for this drastic change ( whose efficacy is suspect ) then it shows a pronounced bias towards a soldier. The pension bill of all Central Police Organisations ( CPOs ) and state police is many times that of soldiers. A soldier and a policeman ( from CPO ) when both reach the age of 60 years, the policeman would have received Rs 18 lakhs more than a soldier, ( at the existing rates of pay and pensions ) Thereafter, a soldier’s life ends while policeman caries on for another 7 to 8 years and continues to draw his pension.
It would be in order to note here that the life expectancy of a soldier in India, is around 59-61 years while that of policeman and others is around 67-68 years, while those from the railways, it is 71-73 years. The main reason for the shorter lifespan of a soldier is early retirement, less pension and increasing financial worries due to added expenditure on children’s upbringing and education etc. Many MPs and MLAs draw not one but six to seven pensions. Why should any country baulk from paying soldiers their legitimate meager pension, more so when he is retired at age 35-37 year.
One needs to look at another aspect of Agniveer concept. Even if one is to overlook the existing deficiency of 2 lakhs personnel in the army, on an average around 60000 retire every year and therefore, that is the number to be recruited each year. However last year only 50000 Agniveers were recruited. Therefore, this year the vacancies would be 70000 ( against those retiring- 60000 plus 10000 less recruited last year. ) After 4 years, when 75 percent from these Agniveers from the first batch will be discharged, the vacancies will be 60000 plus 38500. That works out to 98500.
During next 12 years these figures will keep increasing. Therefore facilities for training such a large number of recruits will have to be created and all that will cost substantial amount in terms of facilities and training staff. Therefore, after 12 years of introduction of this system there would be 3 to 3.5 lakhs Agniveers in their first four 4 years of service, where 75 percent of these will subsequently be due for discharge. Some of them would be looking forward to receiving Rs 11 lakhs on discharge and therefore averse to putting their life on the line and other merged in cutthroat competition, so as to be in those 25 percent who will be retained. What sort of camaraderie and team spirit amongst them develop. Now in the event of operations this will have its own impact on their performance and consequent outcome.
Given the state of unemployment in the country, finding alternate or second career will be a problem for those Agniveers discharged after 4 years. The present promise of reservation for ex-servicemen in various government departments is only on paper, where as actual absorption of servicemen against existing promises of 10 percent and more is less than 1 percent. This is essentially so because there is much to be gained by direct recruitment in these organisations. More recently one Director General of a CPO stated that why should they take those rejected by the army.
The efficacy and consequently wisdom of bringing in this new system of enrolment of Agniveers will come to light in the next war, as and when it occurs. What ever be the underlying idea of this proposal, it should have been best tried out with the Central Police Organisations ( CPOs. ) If funds for pensions of ex-servicemen alone has been the reason for bringing in this new system, then it is better to enhance the retirement age of soldiers to 42 years. This step alone will substantially lower the pension bill of other ranks.
Finally military is far too serious a field for adopting any trial and error proposition.
Aparna Banerji
Jalandhar, July 13
Beads of sweat on his face, a middle-aged man, tired of hurling burly 10 kg sacks all day through, reclines against the damp mud of the Gidarpindi Dhussi bundh to catch his breath after hours of back-breaking work. A youth hardly 16-17 years old, cradles a roti in his young hands to partake of a langar, his rare break from days of long work. Another lies sprawled on the dry mud and yet others gulp down copious volumes of water with eager eyes, hurrying to go back to arranging sacks on a hot humid day.
Plugging the bundh
Two main breaches in the district are at Mandala Channa (300 feet wide) and Gatta Mudi Kasu (953 feet wide). Both happened on the night of July 10 after which the deluge filled the flood affected area. Monday night also witnessed Seechewal’s FB live as hundreds of his men worked to stem the flow of the ever rising waters at Dhakka Basti. After that, all the energy has been concentrated on plugging the Mandala Channa and Gatta Mudi Kasu breaches. Unlike 2019, when a majority of the men in uniform were seen plugging the breaches, this year even random drone footage shows a deluge of turbaned men — none in uniform — piling on sacks and laying iron wires to stop the waters from flooding Jalandhar’s villages.
The temperature at the bundh feels at least 2-3 degrees higher than the rest of the city, with the sun beating down on the bundh and the river, mist emanating from the sludgy deluge and the unusual stickiness making it a thankless environment to work in, day and night.
However, a motley crew of men, summoned at short notice to plug the breaches on the Dhussi bandh at Gidarpindi are the real unsung heroes of the 2023 floods.
600 MGNREGA volunteers on job
As many as 600 MGNREGA volunteers have been working on the bundhs and at four other places preparing mud sacks to plug the breaches. At the bundh alone, 100 are at work. The Mandala Channa bundh will be plugged in 3-4 days. And the Gatta Mundi Kasu bundh will take 8 to 9 days. As many as 50,000 sacks per day will be pressed in from Friday onwards at the bundhs. From Friday onwards, we will also begin the tying of sacks at 11 places in 11 blocks. The Gatta Mundi Kasu bundh is 953 feet long and will need 200 to 250 extra bit of plugging, hence it will take longer.
Vishesh Sarangal, DC Jalandhar
While hundreds of men are volunteers who began work under MP Balbir Singh Seechewal to strengthen the bundhs even before they breached, others have also walked in of their own accord, from Sultanpur Lodhi, Harike, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Mehatpur, Nakodar and other villages to perform sewa. A walk through the bundhs is both a revelation of the suffering of villagers and the indomitable spirit of the Sikhs to take on the biggest of calamities head on. The plugging of the breaches is a race against time.https://478ba7684bb300e7aaec4f1a9cdbd463.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-40/html/container.html
Seechewal himself has been a constant fixture at the bundh — making rounds on his boats, checking on volunteers, overseeing the wire meshes being tied and organising relief.
Gurtegh Singh, a teenager from Rassolpur village in Nakodar, who has been plugging breaches from Day 1, is part of Seechewal’s vounteers. He says, “I just came here to do sewa after we heard about the floods in the villages. I have been working since Monday. We sleep at a shelter provided by Babaji at night which was set up in 2019 floods. Rest, we have food breaks and catch a nap between work at the bundh.”
There are some who even caught a night’s sleep at the bundh itself
Sandeep Singh from the Kuttiwala village in Harike Pattan, came specially to check on his relatives in Gidderpindi. Once here, he began working to plug a breach by the Gidderpindi highway on Wednesday. “Our relatives’ village was flooded, so we had to check on them and provide help. Forty of us from Harike Pattan have come in. At the time of calamity, it is the sangat that helps each other out.”
Naveen Anand from Mehatpur came in with his tractor just to bring in supplies and drives up and down the Dhussi bundh at Gidderpindi. Gurvinder Singh, who is in the Army, says he came from Amritsar to offer help.
Srinagar, July 13
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) carried out raids at five locations in Shopian, Awantipora and Pulwama in connection with a terror conspiracy case on Thursday, officials said. NIA sleuths, along with police and CRPF personnel, targeted the premises of hybrid militants and also overground workers of Pakistan-backed banned terrorist organisations.
Some of these newly-floated outfits, including The Resistance Front (TRF), have been found issuing threats to carry out attacks in the Union Territory through social media, officials said.
The NIA also raided the premises of sympathisers and cadres of the newly floated outfits, namely TRF, United Liberation Front Jammu and Kashmir (ULFJ&K), Mujahideen Gazwat-ul-Hind (MGH), Jammu and Kashmir Freedom Fighters (JKFF), Kashmir Tigers, PAAF and others. These outfits are affiliated to various terror groups, such as Laskhar-e-Toiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), Al-Badr and Al-Qaeda.
The spokesman said several digital devices containing large volumes of incriminating data were seized, which have once again put the spotlight on overground workers as an important part of the terror ecosystem in the Valley, which is being dismantled on a continuous basis. Also known as hybrid militants, they provide support to militants and terrorists based in Pakistan, the NIA spokesperson said.
The NIA had registered a suo motu case on June 21, 2022 to investigate the involvement of the cadres and overground workers of terror groups in spreading terror, violence and subversion in J&K.
These cadres and workers have been involved in the collection and distribution of sticky bombs/magnetic bombs, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), funds, narcotic substances, arms and ammunition. “Drones were being used to deliver arms, ammunition, explosives, narcotics, etc., to their operatives and cadres in the Valley. The terror conspiracy relates to plotting by the banned outfits in both physical and cyber space to unleash violent terrorist attacks in J&K with sticky bombs, IEDs and small arms,” it said.
Cracking the whip
Avneet Kaur
Jalandhar, July 13
The tranquility of villages surrounding dhussi bundh has been shattered by the onslaught of flooding, leaving behind a landscape of ruin and desolation.
Houses, once symbols of comfort and security, now stand as haunting reminders of the destructive force that nature can unleash. Cracked walls and collapsed roofs bear witness to the anguish endured by locals who face an uncertain future and grapple with the daunting task of rebuilding their shattered lives.
In the darkness of the night, tragedy struck Kashmir Singh, a labourer from Madala village in Lohian block, as his home crumbled due to the gushing water. By a stroke of fortune, the house was empty at the time, as the family had sought refuge on their neighbour’s rooftop.
With a heavy heart, Kashmir said, “The force of the water was overwhelming. It engulfed my entire house until it collapsed. I am a daily wager and the prospect of repairing it now seems impossible.”
Kashmir’s family, consisting of seven members, including his elderly mother, wife and four children, face an uncertain and perilous future. “During the 2019 floods, my house developed cracks. As the authorities didn’t report it, we received no assistance. This time, with the roof collapsing, I hold little hope for the government aid.”
Gurnam Singh, a farmer from Nasirpur village, said, “Two rooms got submerged. As the water has receded, cracks are visible in the structure. If the situation does not improve, the roof may give way,” he said.
He said the current predicament had surpassed the horrors of the 2019 floods.
Aakanksha N Bhardwaj
Jalandhar, July 13
Nearly 25 government schools in flood-hit Lohian block are submerged, some are even in up to 8-foot deep water. Even though the government has extended the date of school opening to July 16, it will take nearly a month for students to get back to their schools.
A Tribune team visited the deluge-affected villages of Mundi Cholian, Madala Channa, Nawan Pind (Khalewal), Gidderpindi and Mehrajwala and found the schools inundated. Teachers are fearing collapsed washrooms, walls and crippled infrastructure, including desks, chairs, and spoiled ration that was kept for mid-day meals, on the experience based on 2019 floods.
The teachers are also worried about the academic loss the students may face just like before. Kulwinder Singh, head teacher from Government Middle School, Mundi Cholian, says he had kept the school record and computers at safer places, but furniture and desks will definitely get damaged. “There will be sludge all around. Normalcy will not return soon,” he says.
Teacher from government school Madala, Channa, Deepak says, “Last time, three of the school toilets had collapsed and we had to get these rebuilt,” he said.
Block Primary Education Officer Rajesh says that losses will be assessed once water recedes completely.
Meanwhile, the government has extended holidays in schools till July 16. Education Minister Harjot Bains tweeted that all government, aided and private schools would remain closed till July 16.
Parvesh Sharma
Sangrur, July 13
With two more breaches in Ghaggar at Moonak and Khanauri, Sangrur, situation has gone from bad to worse.
As a result, surrounding villages, including Salemgarh, Makraud Sahib, Hamigarh, Surjan Bhaini and Phullad and have been submerged in water.
The water level of raging Ghaggar has crossed 753 ft (748 ft danger mark), which has also inundated the Patran-Khanauri road. Rishi Ram, sarpanch, Banarasi village, said, “The Ghaggar developed two breaches near Banarasi village yesterday night. Though we are trying to plug the breaches, the water is flowing at high speed.”
Relief camps set up
The Ghaggar is overflowing at various places. The water level has reached 753 ft, the highest-ever so far. Our teams are working hard to plug all four breaches. We have made arrangements to shift affected residents to relief camps. — Jitendra Jorwal, Sangrur DC
On July 11, three breaches were reported at Makraud Sahib (over 100 ft), Mandavi and Phullad village. The current of water is such that the teams of the NDRF, the Army and volunteers are finding it difficult to plug the breaches.
Roshan, a resident of Moonak, said, “Water will reach Moonak city within some hours as the authorities have failed to make arranagements.”
Another resident, Sulakhan Singh, said, “I have kept furniture and other items at my relative’s house in Lehra. Floods had damaged everything at my house five years ago.”
Jitendra Jorwal, Deputy Commissioner, Sangrur, said, “The Ghaggar is overflowing at various places. The water level has reached 753 ft. Our teams are working hard to plug all four breaches. We have made arrangements to shift affected residents to relief camps.”
Arun Sharma
Ropar, July 13
The flooding due to incessant rain has left a trail of destruction with loss of life, breaches in banks of rivers and canals, damage to roads, uprooting of hundreds of electricity poles and cracks in a large number of houses in more than 350 affected villages.
The authorities said the exact picture of damage to infrastructure and losses suffered by people would be known only in a few days as the officials concerned started a survey only yesterday.
Four persons have lost lives, two of whom were drowned in the strong current of water, which entered towns and villages due to breach in the Siswan and the Budhki, the tributaries of the Sutlej and Sirhind canal.
At least 30 breaches have been reported and roads at 135 places were washed away or caved in, snapping the direct connectivity between Ropar-Chamkaur Sahib and Ropar-Kotla Nihang and Ropar-Surtapur Mand.
In Singhpura village on the Ropar-Chandigarh road, almost every house was flooded, leading to huge losses to residents. Narinderpal Singh said the village witnessed flooding for the first time. A drain near the village was narrowed down due to construction near it which led to flooding of the village, he said.
“The village remained submerged under five feet water for three days, resulting in damaging almost all household goods,” he said.
A nearby house owned by Kulwant Singh has developed cracks as the accumulated water on his backyard weakened the foundation of the building.
At a distance of 7 km from here on the outskirts of Ropar town, the residents of Basant Nagar and Shastri Nagar spent their nights on roof as their houses were submerged for three days. At Sarthali village near Nurpur Bedi, a portion of Mohinder Singh’s newly constructed house caved in.
At Mand Surtapur village, a gurdwara had provided shelter and meal to nearly 100 people for four days as the area remained inaccessible due to a breach in the Siswan and the Budhki. The victims, however, found everything damaged, including clothes and beds, on return to their homes yesterday.
Though the power supply has already been restored to a large number of areas all over the district, still many places have to remain in dark for a few more days as a large number of power supply poles have been uprooted. Ropar PSPCL XEN Vishal Gogna said more than 600 poles had been damaged.
Ropar DC Dr Preeti Yadav said after rescue work, now the focus of the district administration was on repairing the infrastructure and providing relief to victims. All officials concerned had been directed to repair all damaged roads and plug the breaches as soon as possible. A sum of Rs 4 lakh each also had been disbursed to the relatives of two deceased from the Disaster Management Reponse Fund, she said.
Meanwhile, MP and chairman of the Sun Foundation Vikrajit Singh Sahney visited Awankot village and Anandpur Sahib. He donated 50 water-proof tents, food packets, clean drinking water, basic medicines and mosquito repellents. Sahney also donated Rs 50 lakh for a dam for future protection at Burj village.
