B A T H I N D A    E D I T I O N

Ferozepur commissioner, DC visit flood-hit areas
Ferozepur, August 20
Following instructions from the state government, the Commissioner, Ferozepur Division, VK Sharma along with Deputy Commissioner Manjit Singh Narang and a team of other officials including an NDRF squad, today visited the flood affected villages which have been severely hit by the ravaging Sutlej in this border district.

Only road link between Abohar, Sriganganagar snaps
Abohar, August 20
This remote sub-divisional town has been completely cut off by road as a bridge on the national highway collapsed. The situation turned for the worse after the administration reportedly diverted the overflowing waters of the Abulkhurana drain from village Sayeedwala to Khuyiansarwer.

Cong to blame for economic crisis in country, says SAD leader
Baghapurana (Moga), August 20
Revenue Minister of Punjab Bikram Singh Majithia today blamed the Congress-led UPA Government for the "economic crisis" in the country. He was talking to mediapersons after presiding over a function at the residence of Bibi Jasbir Kaur Samalsar, a former Zila Parishad member who left the Congress a couple of days ago and joined the ruling SAD.

Man taking his wife to brother’s place for ‘rakhi’ killed in road accident
Muktsar, August 20
A man taking his wife to her brother's house for Rakshabandhan died in a road mishap, after a truck hit their bike on Ferozepur road this morning.

Ferozepur commissioner, DC visit flood-hit areas
Anirudh Gupta

Ferozepur, August 20
Following instructions from the state government, the Commissioner, Ferozepur Division, VK Sharma along with Deputy Commissioner Manjit Singh Narang and a team of other officials including an NDRF squad, today visited the flood affected villages which have been severely hit by the ravaging Sutlej in this border district.

The commissioner also visited relief camps in villages Bhanewala and Bagewala and took stock of the relief operations. Sharma said the administration was working round-the-clock to ensure that relief supplies are provided to the affected people who have been bearing the brunt of the floods for the last few days.

The DC said he has instructed the officials concerned to ascertain the damage which has been caused to the standing crops besides unmovable properties of the border residents as there were reports that houses in certain areas have collapsed due to floods coupled with heavy rainfall.

The Deputy Commissioner said with the assistance of NDRF teams, flood relief operations have been expedited during the last 24 hours.

He said there was no risk to the safety of the Dhussi bundh and a police team has been deputed to patrol the vulnerable points to ensure its protection.

Water level reduces

Drainage officials said the flow of water downstream of Harike has come down from 1.17 lakh cusecs to 98,000 cusecs following which it is likely that the flow upstream of Hussainiwala will also come down if more water is not released from the dam.

Vinod Chowdhry, Chief Engineer (Drainage), said the water level was fast receding and it is likely to come down in the villages which have been marooned by the swollen river waters within the next two days.

Compensate farmers: Pinki

Ferozepur MLA Parminder Singh Pinki, who today visited the flood-affected areas, said no relief was being provided to the residents of the flood-hit villages.

Pinki said the state government should speed up flood relief operations and send a high-level team of officials to ascertain the damage which has been caused due to floods.

“If the Chief Minister does not have the time, he can at least send some of his senior officials,” he said.

Pinki also demanded that compensation to the tune of Rs 40,000 per acre should be provided to the affected farmers who have been facing the fury of floods for the last several years.

Farmers fume at state govt

Farmers belonging to the villages marooned by Sutlej condemned the state government for its failure to prevent their crops from getting damaged due to floods.

Swaran Singh, a farmer, said there was no warning given to them. “I owned 10 acres of land. However, due to floods in 2008 and also last year, I had to dispose of six acres of land to settle the liabilities and now I am left with only four acres," he said.

Swaran Singh's case is not an isolated one. At several places, hope has given way to despair as the farmers have been incurring losses due to rampant flooding of their areas year after year.

Only road link between Abohar, Sriganganagar snaps
Raj Sadosh

Abohar, August 20
This remote sub-divisional town has been completely cut off by road as a bridge on the national highway collapsed. The situation turned for the worse after the administration reportedly diverted the overflowing waters of the Abulkhurana drain from village Sayeedwala to Khuyiansarwer.

Hundreds of people from village Khuyiansarwer led by Sarpanch Mangat Ram and former Sarpanch Satnam Rai staged a dharna to prevent the diversion of traffic through the road that links Khuyiansarwer with Killianwali through Panjkosi, the native village of CLP leader Sunil Jakhar.

Some of the protesters, including Subhash Juneja and Som Nath Latu, said the link road had started sinking and some small bridges had been partly damaged due to the diversion of heavy vehicles.

A rise in traffic may also prove dangerous for the safety of thousands of students who go to the schools located on the link road.

They resented that the diverted drain water was about to reach the boundary wall of the cremation ground in Khuyiansarwer village.

The protesters criticized the state government for not replacing the make-shift bridges that had been constructed by laying cement pipes about 10 years back.

The protesters have for the time being lifted the dharna after Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Raj Kumar Jalhotra assured them that the district administration would take remedial steps within a day.

Cong to blame for economic crisis in country, says SAD leader
Tribune News Service

Baghapurana (Moga), August 20
Revenue Minister of Punjab Bikram Singh Majithia today blamed the Congress-led UPA Government for the "economic crisis" in the country. He was talking to mediapersons after presiding over a function at the residence of Bibi Jasbir Kaur Samalsar, a former Zila Parishad member who left the Congress a couple of days ago and joined the ruling SAD.

Earlier, Jasbir Kaur said she had joined politics to serve the people of the area. "The Congress leadership has failed to live up to the expectations of the people due to which I have decided to join the SAD and serve the people of my area," she said.

Prominent among those present on the occasion were local MLAs, Maheshinder Singh and Rajwinder Kaur Bhagike, former MLA Ajit Singh Shant, district president of the party Tirath Singh Mallah and other local party leaders. 

Man taking his wife to brother’s place for ‘rakhi’ killed in road accident
Tribune News Service

Muktsar, August 20
A man taking his wife to her brother's house for Rakshabandhan died in a road mishap, after a truck hit their bike on Ferozepur road this morning.

The police said the deceased, identified as Sukhraj Singh of Basti Surgapuri, was going to Sadik along with his wife Jaswinder Kaur on his bike. As they reached near Madmallu village, a truck hit their bike, which claimed the life of Sukhraj. Jaswinder Kaur too sustained injuries.

Muktsar Sadar police has arrested the accused truck driver and started investigations in this regard.