Ferozepur, August 17
Following the breach in the Dhussi bandh at Sanghera and Bhogewala villages, the Sutlej unleashed its fury once again hitting hundreds of villages and rendering thousands homeless.

The worst hit have been Makhu and Ferozepur city segments where at least 60 villages have already submerged and the level of water was still rising.

Irrigation Minister Janmeja Singh Sekhon, who is camping in Makhu along with DC Megh Raj and SSP Dinesh Pratap for past two days, said reservoir levels at Bhakra and Pong Dams was touching danger mark.

Bhakra Dam had already attained the level of 1670 feet, which is normally attained on August 31, he added.

Sekhon said if rain continued in the catchment areas of the dam, more water would have to be released from Bhakra, which would add to the problems in this area.

He informed that the water level downstream Harike was around 84000 cusecs today. Meanwhile, the rescue operations have begun and the Army has evacuated nearly 1500 persons to safer places.

Sources in the Army informed that nine flood-relief columns of the Golden Arrow Division had already moved to the affected areas to help out the people in distress.

When contacted, station commander brigadier S.S. Bhatia said the army columns consisted of Infantry, Engineers and Medical units.

Recovery teams had been dispatched to flood-hit villages. He added communication network has been established to facilitate the rescue and relief operations.

In Makhu alone, 40 villages with population of around 16000 have been affected and 18000 acres of agricultural land has been inundated.

Although majority of the residents of these villages have been evacuated to relief camps but few have refused to leave in spite of their houses been surrounded by water from all sides.

Sekhon said the respective deputy commissioners of all affected districts have been instructed to depute patwaris to access the damage done to the houses and crops. “The same will be compensated by the government.”

He informed that medical teams with medicines and required vaccines had been deputed at all nodal points and relief centres.

Ferozepur, August 17
Carrying household goods on their heads, people of the flood-hit areas are making a beeline to safer places as more than 50 villages are marooned in the Makhu area of the district and no help has so far come from the Punjab government.

It is after 16 years that residents of these villages have witnessed this level of flood fury. The previous flood was in 1993 when many lives were lost and a number of houses collapsed.

Bhur Singh drowned in the afternoon while he was carrying utensils and other articles from his home and trying to cross the flood waters.

Another person was rescued, but was rushed to a nearby medical camp. The standing paddy crop has got totally destroyed in more than 100 villages that were hit by flood.

Womenfolk and children of these villages have taken refuge at a higher elevation on the railway track where they are living without any tents since yesterday. Most of the men have shifted to rooftops of their houses to prevent theft.

Several villages falling in the Moga, Ferozepur and Jalandhar districts have turned into islands as the river waters gushed into the area due to breach at two places in the Dhussi bandh. Water level started rising again this afternoon creating panic among the villagers.

Women and children cried that no help has so far come from any government agency. The local deras, gurdwaras and public spirited persons were providing food and drinking water to the marooned people.

Trolleys and other vehicles loaded with food items have reached the places where residents of these villages have migrated.

In some of the villages, people have refused to get evacuated by the army and have chosen to put up on the rooftops. Youth of these villages were wading through waist-deep waters to provide food to them.

The affected people were critical of the government for not having come to their rescue for the past two days when they were forced to take shelter at safer places when the flood waters came gushing there.

Gurcharan Singh, of village Kusuwali, said the migrants shall have to spend another night under the open sky as the government has failed to supply even a single tent or tarpaulin.

A large number of residents of the Kasuwala village have taken shelter on the railway track, but they fear that the place might also get washed away if the waters did not recede.

The road between Kasuwala in Ferozepur and Gidder Pindi at the tail end in Jalandhar district has virtually become a migrant camp with people trying to protect their household articles.

Balwinder Singh, a resident of Chakian, said that migration has also started from his village as the people fear that the floodwaters might enter there by night.

More than 200 households have migrated on the roadside and the railway track from the Kusuwali village, 220 households from Wadakaliron, 180 households from village Malewala and nearly 100 from Chak Tarewal.

As one proceeds beyond Talwandi, widespread flood damage is visible on the right side of the road.

Karnail Singh said that about 250 households of village Lalewala have taken refuge on the roadside and the embankment.

The railway line between Ferozepur and Jalandhar has got damaged at many places. There was a nearly 100 feet long breach on the rail track near the Giddar Pindi village. Rail traffic has been suspended on the track.

Mukhtiar Singh and Yadwinder Singh were afraid that more damage might be caused by the flood water that has again started rising.

Lakhwinder Singh said that the embankment that has been breached now was repaired only after the floods in 1993. Thereafter, he never saw any one from the flood control department visiting there.

Sukhchain Singh said panic spread in these villages after midnight at 2.20 am when they suddenly realized that the water had entered their houses and had reached the bed level.

Ferozepur, August 17
One person was drowned in the floodwater at village Kassuana near Makhu in Ferozepur district on Sunday evening.

The sources in police revealed that a rescue team took out Bohar Singh (36) from his house on a boat.

However, he jumped into the water to bring back some of his household items and got drowned. The flood water in this village reached late last evening.

So far, it is the worst-affected village in the Ferozepur district with water said to be 4 to 6 feet deep.

Rescue teams were busy evacuating the people from their houses when the news report was last filed.

Abohar, August 17
“Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal while describing the floods as natural calamity has expressed helplessness in dealing with the grim situation. But, in fact, it is a man-made crisis,” said MLA Sunil Jakhar, who had also been parliamentary secretary for irrigation in the previous Congress government.

During his speech at a meeting in Dhaani Kamayianwali near here on Sunday, the legislator lambasted the irrigation department and the district administration for taking an unwise decision of suspending supply of water to 40 canals and sub-canals in the region for a cleansing operation, which aimed at exhausting the huge central government funds lying unutilised for more than a year under the NREGA scheme.

Floods wreaked havoc in the Ferozepur district due to additional discharge of 4000 cusecs of water whereas the canals, which were lying dry for past fortnight, could have easily consumed this volume of water, he asserted. Besides, each sub-canal had a capacity of 150 cusecs as per official records.

Jakhar said the CM had after a meeting of the deputy commissioner and other senior officials announced the release of funds for the flood-control exercise.

“Where has this money gone,” the legislator asked. The weather forecasts had clearly indicated that monsoon showers would be heavy this time.

The meteorology experts had warned the state government well in time but steps to strengthen the Dhussi bundh and beams of other major canals were not taken up, Jakhar said.

After few days of assuming office, the CM had stated that the government would spend Rs 3200 crore on strengthening the canal system but not a single rupee was spent over 18 months, he alleged.

Desilting of canals in the home turf of the CM was completed under NREGA scheme last year. Why it was not planned for Ferozepur district, the legislator questioned.

Crops on thousands of acres in Ferozepur and Moga had been washed off while fields that needed water were lying dry. This reflected poor water-management, Jakhar observed.

Bathinda, August 17
After the election of Baljeet Singh Bir Behman as the city's mayor, residents of the city have started showing a change in attitude while obliging personalities by inviting them as chief guests at functions.

Personalities seen earlier at functions as chief guests are now hardly seen at any function. During conversations, people also expressed their understanding of the change in political landscape here.

They mentioned that Charanji Lal Garg, the arch-rival of Sarup Chand Singla had made his best efforts to promote the mayor as a parallel centre of power. Now, as the first citizen of the city, Bir Behman himself is well known.

Speculations have been rife that the area in-charge of SAD (B), Sarup Chand Singla, has been a disappointed man ever since the election of Baljeet Singh Bir Behman as the BMC mayor.

Now with the passage of time, the impression has been gaining ground in the city. While talking to the three eminent personalities of Bathinda, mayor Baljeet Singh Bir Behman, Sarup Chand Singla and Charanji Lal Garg, this correspondent found contrasting views.

When asked, Sarup Chand Singla, he said, "There is no change as far as the liking of people for me is concerned. It is me who is actually pulling out of these formalities. I made strong efforts to help the municipal councillors win, and it is now their turn to attend the engagements as I know that if I remain active as I was before the BMC polls, then it might create some sense of dissatisfaction among the others."

On the other hand, Charanji Lal Garg clearly stated that he personally wished to project Bir Behman against the person for whom he has no love lost.

"Now a days, in the invitation cards I receive, I hardly see a single one I where the chief guest is someone else other than Bir Behman."

Expressing his anguish, Garg said, "Earlier, Singla had some role as the area in-charge of SAD in Bathinda. But now with the election of the mayor, the urban areas of the district are under Bir Behman's jurisdiction and for the rural areas, the party has appointed Darshan Singh Kotfatta as the in-charge. So, Singla is losing the powers he enjoyed earlier."

Popular for his cool and calm temperament, Baljeet Singh Bir Behman remained balanced in his reply. "I have been performing my duties as per the wishes of the party high command," he added.

Bathinda, August 17
Though heavy rains have been causing a deluge in the surrounding districts, but in Bathinda, which has not been affected by it, farmers and officials of the agriculture department are finding the weather beneficial for the crops.

As per the detail procured from the agriculture department, Bathinda, in this season, around 90,000 hectares are covered with paddy and the yield from one hectare is expected at 62 quintals.

According to department, over 4 lakh metric tonnes of rice production is expected.

On the other hand, the yield of cotton, the other most favourite crop of Malwa, is also expected to be high.

The department estimates nearly 1.55 lakh hectares of land to be under the
cotton crop.

Terming the crop as free from pests and diseases, the department expects a production of 22 quintals per hectare and and 6.40 lakh bales of cotton from the district as per the international standards.

Confirming the details, Chief Agriculture Officer, Bathinda, P.S. Sandhu said, "Till this day, the rains have not shown any adverse effect on paddy and cotton. So the expectation is high this season."

Sandhu further said that if the rain continues, it would be good for paddy but it can harm the cotton as pests and diseases may attack in the moist climate. Further, the rain can also spoil the cotton flowers.

He mentioned that during this season, mealy bug, caterpillar and other pests have not bred preventing any harm to the crops. So, the season is expected to be favourable to farmers.

According to some market analysts, the maximum support price (MSP) of paddy is Rs 850, which is expected to increase.

Meanwhile, the price of cotton, which was purchased at Rs 1,900 last year, is expected to cross Rs 3,000 this season.

Gidderbaha, August 17
One won’t take more than a single visit to the Homeopathic and Ayurvedic dispensary, Gidderbaha, to believe that the dispensary is in a neglected state. Thanks to the official apathy, the building is full of cracks.

The periphery is unhygienic as it also serves as a public toilet. Making mockery of the assurances given by state finance minister Manpreet Badal regarding the development projects in his constituency, the dispensary located at the old women’s hospital building, does not even have a clean approach road.

Besides, absence of proper drainage leads to the accumulation of rainwater thereby impeding the entrance.

After receiving complaints, the TNS team recently visited the place and found a taxi-stand operating from the dispensary premises.

The building, which may collapse down any moment, was enough to comprehend the attention that the health department and the district administration pay to medical facilities facility in the city.

The periphery of the dispensary is dotted with harmful weed. In the absence of any check, residents and shopkeepers in nearby areas use the building periphery to answer the call of nature.

While talking to this correspondent, the medical officers too narrated their woes. A Homeopathic Medical Officer (HMO) and an Ayurvedic Medical Officer (AMO) rued that the authorities concerned were not paying attention towards the cleanliness and the condition of the dispensary building.

Sunita Rani, a middle-aged patient, lamented, “The minister and his party men begged for votes in the name of development. But post-elections, they have become least bothered about it.”

“I wish the authorities rise up to the occasion so that the dispensary could serve the poor like me better,” she added.

Mansa, August 17
“Under the Indira Awaas Yojna, nearly 392 new houses were constructed and 196 old houses were repaired by utilising Rs one crore in Mansa,” claimed Member of Parliament Paramjeet Kaur Gulshan after presiding over the meeting of District Monitoring Committee here.

She informed that for national rural employment guarantee scheme Rs 2.25 crore were received, out of which Rs 57 lakh had been utilised for the construction and repair of distributaries (khals).

The MP informed that under Prime Minister Gramin Sadak Yojna, three roads had been constructed — from Mansa to Budhlada, Budhlada to Kankwala and Ralla to Sammaon. On these roads, nearly Rs 14 crore had been spent.

On the occasion, DC Surjit Singh Dhillon, Dilraj Singh Bhunder, chairman, Zila Parishad, and other officials were present.

Bathinda, August 17
To get their demands accepted, the unemployed B.Ed teachers today held a meeting here at the Teachers' Home.

The meeting was presided over by Harjeet Singh Jeeda. According to Sukhwinder Kaur who briefed newsmen, among those who took part in the meeting included Paramjit Sharma, Anju Bala, Om Prakash, Purushottam Mukesh, Prakash and Vinod, among others.

Jeeda demanded that the Punjab government should give jobs to 14,000 teachers and should advertise for 18,000 posts.

He also informed that street corner meeting were being organised and members are being contacted through teams formed for this purpose. He said that the unemployed Bed teachers would not take it any longer.

Instead of opening new Adarsh schools, the government should improve the functioning of the existing ones, he suggested.

Schools should have proper infrastructure like buildings and teachers should be appointed, he demanded.

Another union member Anju Bala questioned the Punjab government's claims of taking the state to the top position in terms of education even as there were no teachers in schools.

They threatened to intensify their agitation if their demands were not accepted.

Bathinda, August 17
The district unit of the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) held a meeting under the chairmanship of district chief Pritam Singh Brar.

Brar later said a decision had been taken to hold dharnas at deputy commissioner's office in the state on August 27. The meeting was held in this regard.

He demanded that the recommendations of the Punjab State pay Commission be implemented soon, a hike in the minimum wages, end of the contract system in boards and corporations and no privatisation of government undertakings.

Among those who took part in the meeting were secretary Natha Ram, Shiv Lal, chairman of the PRTC cell of INTUC Usha Shastri, Gurcharan Singh of the PSEB wing of INTUC, Vijay Kumar of EPF, Davinder Singh Siwian of the postal wing, Sohan Lal Kansal of PSSF and Kulwant Singh, beside others.

Bathinda, August 17
A function was held here late on Saturday night to mark the festival of Raksha Bandhan by the Brahamakumaris where mayor baljit Singh Bir Behman was the chief guest and senior deputy mayor Tarsem Goyal was the chief guest.

Dwelling on the spiritual aspects of the Indian festivals, sister Kailash said that one should resolve to rise above all evils on the occasion.

The festival of rakhi does not find its fulfilment in the practice of making costly presents and monetary gifts, but in practising the virtues she said.

Speaking on the occasion, senior deputy mayor Tarsem Goyal said she had come to realise the true value of the festival only through the discourse at the function.

Mayor Bir Behman, in his speech, said that people should resolve to quit evil and only then would they be able to realise the true aim and objectives symbolised by the festival.

The Brahmakumaris also tied rakhis on the wrists of the visitors and made them take an oath to rise above social evils.