Pakistan releases more water, flood threat in villages in Punjab; CM holds high-level meeting

Chandigarh: A few villages in Punjab’s border district Ferozepur are facing a flood threat after a major portion of an embankment in the catchment area of the Sutlej river was washed away following the Pakistan’s release of water into the Indian territory.

Officials on Sunday said the Ferozepur district administration is on high alert, while precautionary deployment of the NDRF and the Army teams has been made in view of the flood threat which looms large in some villages.

“Pakistan has released water in huge quantity which caused damage to the embankment in Tendiwala village, and there is danger of floods in some villages,” a spokesperson of the Punjab government said.

“Being on guard, the district administration has announced evacuation in most sensitive villages along the Sutlej river as a precautionary step besides deploying various teams of the health department, food and civil supplies department and others,” he said.

The spokesperson said people need not panic as the administration is geared up for the task with relief work at vulnerable points being undertaken at a fast pace.

Irrigation and drainage departments are already engaged to repair the damaged embankment in Tendiwala village, he said.

Sand filled gunny bags have been stacked in huge quantity and work is on to strengthen the embankment, he added.

“In the wake of the damage to the embankment due to heavy discharge of water from the Pakistan side, the strengthening work of Tendiwala embankment is being undertaken on war footing,” the spokesperson said.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh asked the Water Resources Department to work out a joint action plan with the Army to strengthen the embankment at the village on the Indo-Pak border.

Presiding over a high-level meeting to review the flood situation in Ferozepur, Jalandhar, Kapurthala and Rupnagar districts, he directed the principal secretary Water Resources to ensure strengthening of Tendiwala embankment on war footing to avert the flooding of nearby villages, an official statement said.

The chief minister, it said, also directed the Ferozepur deputy commissioner to keep NDRF teams on standby to meet any exigency arising out of the floods.

The spokesperson said people need not panic as the administration is geared up for the task with relief work at vulnerable points being undertaken at a fast pace.

Irrigation and drainage departments are already engaged to repair the damaged embankment in Tendiwala village, he said.

Sand filled gunny bags have been stacked in huge quantity and work is on to strengthen the embankment, he added.

“In the wake of the damage to the embankment due to heavy discharge of water from the Pakistan side, the strengthening work of Tendiwala embankment is being undertaken on war footing,” the spokesperson said.

Ferozepur Deputy Commissioner Chander Gaind and district police chief Vivek Sheel Soni took stock of the situation, he said.

A few days back, as many as 17 villages of Ferozepur district were flooded after Pakistan opened headworks gates in its area on the Sutlej river.

Several villages of Ferozepur remain already inundated because of the recent rains and breaches in embankments of the river.