Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday said that the State Government was committed to bailing out the people in the flood-affected districts of the state, while making it clear that he was regularly monitoring the prevailing flood situation in the State — from Pathankot to Sardulgarh.

“I am personally overseeing the entire situation in the state due to the floods. The State Government is duty bound to ensure relief to the masses and no stone will be left unturned for this noble cause,” said Mann, adding that the State Government is solidly with the people in hour of distress and they are being provided succour by all means.

The Chief Minister said that the Ministers, high officers and other administrative machinery of the State Government is already in the field to help the people. “Massive relief and rescue operations are already going on in the flood-torn districts to ensure that people do not face any sort of problem,” said Mann while also lauding the NGOs and other social organizations who are serving the people zealously in this hour of grave crisis.

“Special thrust is being laid to ensure relief in the flood-affected areas of the state so that people do not face any sort of problem. Priority is being given to carry out rescue and relief work in the badly affected areas of the state,” he said, adding that the State Government is committed for ensuring the safety and security of the people in this period of distress.

The Chief Minister said that the State Government will compensate people for loss of every single penny, and, “I have already ordered a special girdawari to ascertain the loss of crops, houses, and others due to heavy rainfall in the state”.

He said that detailed instructions have been issued to the Deputy Commissioners to immediately carry out girdawari in the areas lashed by rains to ascertain damage caused to crops, houses, animals and others on priority. Bhagwant Mann assured the people that the government is committed to safeguarding their interests against nature’s fury.

1441 villages in 19 districts still flood-affected in Punjab

To speed up the relief operations in Punjab, a total of 26,672 persons have been evacuated and taken to safe places in the state.

Even about a fortnight after the heavy rains lashed the region, Punjab’s 1441 villages are still affected by the floods till 8 am on July 20. A total of 155 relief camps are running in the state in which 4424 people are staying.

Currently, 19 districts are affected by floods including Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Fatehgarh Sahib, Faridkot, Hoshiarpur, Rupnagar, Kapurthala, Patiala, Moga, Ludhiana, SAS Nagar, Jalandhar, Sangrur, SBS Nagar, Fazilka, Gurdaspur, Mansa, Bathinda and Pathankot.

According to the report received by the Revenue Department from different districts, a total of 38 people have lost their lives due to floods in the State. As per the information received from the Animal Husbandry Department, a total of 2554 animals were treated in the state. Department’s rescue teams are working round the clock to provide treatment, supply feed, fodder, and silage to needy animals. Special flood relief camps are also being organized in affected districts.

On the other hand, the teams of the Health Department are working in the flood-affected areas with full attention. A spokesperson said that 434 Rapid Response Teams (RRT) have been working in the flood-affected areas. The health department has set up 247 medical camps in the affected areas.

Minister Kataruchak donates a month's salary for flood-affected

Standing in complete solidarity with the people affected by the floods in the State, Punjab Food, Civil Supplies, Consumer Affairs, Forest and Wildlife Preservation Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak on Thursday donated his one-month salary totaling Rs 1.10 lakhs for their assistance. Handing over the cheque to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, the Minister said that the State Government is fully committed and duty-bound to help the flood-ravaged people in every way possible. The respective District Administrations throughout Punjab are actively engaged in providing every kind of assistance to the people in the form of food packets, medicines, drinking water, tarpaulins and other necessary items.