Drainage department launches mammoth operation to protect berm from scouring at Village Gatta Badshah on River Sutlej
Author(s): City Air NewsFerozepur, September 2, 2019: Drainage department with the help of villagers launched a mammoth operation to protect a Berm from scouring at village Gatta Badshah on the banks of River Satluj. The operation was...
Ferozepur, September 2, 2019: Drainage department with the help of villagers launched a mammoth operation to protect a Berm from scouring at village Gatta Badshah on the banks of River Satluj.
The operation was started just after receiving the information of erosion at the Berm due to direct hit of the river water in this area. Deputy Commissioner Chander Gaind said that More than 6000 sandbags have been utilized to protect the Berm and operation is still going on as it will take another day to complete the work at this point.
Divulging more, Gaind said that information was received from the villagers that the course of river Satluj was directly hitting around 400 feet wide Berm at this point causing scouring of soil, which could have subsequently affected the fields. The officials of the drainage department were engaged in the task to protect the further depletion of Berm and a mammoth exercise was launched.
The laying of sandbags along with the bottom of the Berm was started and still going on until we are satisfied that the Berm is safe now, said Gaind, adding he said that the workforce of around 500 people including volunteers from village is working round the clock on the task and this point will be protected from scouring by Tuesday morning.
Reiterating the commitment to provide fulsome support from district administration to combat floods, Gaind said that the administration will leave no stone unturned to protect vulnerable points by keeping 24x7 tab and initiating round the clock strengthening work as it was done at village Tendiwala, where a ring Berm was constructed overnight.
The deputy commissioner said that the entire machinery of district administration especially of drainage and irrigation department has camped on the location for last two days under the leadership of MLA Zira Kulbir Singh Zira, adding that he said that the minute to minute monitoring is being made over the progress and there is no danger to Bundh at this place.
PUNJAB CM ASKS CENTRAL GOVERNMENT FOR COMPREHENSIVE MECHANISM TO CHECK RECURRING FLOODS
New Delhi, September 2, 2019: Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Monday sought a comprehensive mechanism from the Centre to check recurrence of floods, which was causing the state to suffer damage to the tune of crores of rupees every year.
The Chief Minister called on Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat to raise the issue and put the onus of devising a method to prevent floods on the central government.
Speaking to the media persons here after the meeting, Captain Amarinder said he had apprised the Union Minister of the ravages caused by the floods to the state, which was not in a position to bear the losses year after year.
The Chief Minister said he had suggested to the Union Minister various measures like de-silting, and creation of water reservoirs. “It is now up to the Ministry to find ways and means to avert such crisis in the future, he added.
His government’s top priority in the wake of the recent floods was to save lives, said the Chief Minister, expressing concern over the fact that many of the state’s villages were submerged in water with more than 1.72 lac acres of crop damaged and more besides 500 houses destroyed, in addition to loss of cattle.”
Asked to comment on the Akali charge that his government had failed to provide adequate relief to the flood victims, the Chief Minister said the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) should have taken steps during their 10-year rule to build and strengthen the state’s infrastructure. They should have taken up the shovels to clean the rivers, he quipped, lambasting the Akalis over the issue.
On being asked about SYL hearing in SC, slated for Tuesday, the Chief Minister said the matter was sub-judice and he could not comment on the same. The issue was not discussed in the meeting, he added.
FLOODS CAUSE LOSS OF 445 BOVINES • RS.1.96 CR TO BE DISBURSED AS COMPENSATION
Chandigarh, September 2, 2019: The floods in Punjab have taken a heavy toll on the livestock with the fall of 445 large animals/cattle, 90 pigs, 38 goats and 29200 poultry birds, informed an official Spokesman of Government of Punjab. On the directions of Chief Minister Punjab, the efforts are afoot to extend compensation for the loss at the earliest, said the spokesman adding that Rs.1.96 crore would be disbursed at the rate of Rs.30,000/- per large animal, Rs.3000/- per goat/pig and Rs.200 per poultry bird. Besides, the staff of Animal Husbandry is all on toes, extending medical facilities to the animals. 170 teams of Vets have been constituted and 157 relief camps established. As many as 14210 animals have been treated and 13765 have been vaccinated till date against Haemorrhagic Septicaemia (HS), a contagious bacterial disease, said he and an approximate expenditure of Rs. 3.10 crore has been incurred on medicine and vaccination. The experts are also sensitizing the people about the signs of other diseases and have directed them to inform the veterinary doctors in order to commence treatment at the earliest. Sufficient stock of vet medicines is available with the department, said he. The department has also initiated a drive to provide green fodder/silage for animals as a part of which silage for animals has been provided door to door in the flood-affected villages via tractors and trolleys. Nearly an expenditure of Rs.18 crore is required to be incurred on the same taking the total financial implications of various activities of the department to Rs. 23.16 crore. He further said that with the flood-water having receded in the affected villages, the sick-animals are being taken to the nearby vet hospitals.