ASSERTS FLOODS WERE A NATURAL CATASTROPHE RATHER THAN BEING A MANMADE DISASTER
Punjab E News: Slamming the opposition for politicizing the issue of floods, the Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Friday said that the people of the state will never forgive these insensitive and opportunist politicians for their betrayal towards the state and its residents.
Winding up the discussion during a special session on the floor of Punjab Vidhan Sabha, the Chief Minister said that it is unfortunate that instead of giving a healing touch during the floods these so-called experienced politicians of the state are spitting venom against the government. He said that these politicians are only politicizing this issue for the sake of their vested political interests which is unwarranted and undesirable. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that when the people of state were running pillar to post for relief and rehabilitation in the floods these politicians were desperately making efforts to hog media limelight.
The Chief Minister said that this special session was convened to discuss the rehabilitation of the state in the aftermath of floods but due to myopic mindset of these leaders it has been reduced to a platform of criticism. He said that Punjab is a blessed land and has a tendency to rise from ashes but such backstabbers have always tried to ruin it. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the natural disasters even bowed before the hard work and determination of the Punjabis adding he cited the Battle of Saragarhi, Battle of Longewala and others to apprise about the bravery of the Punjabis.
The Chief Minister said that whenever the country has faced any problem or difficulty Punjab has saved the country whether it was making the country self-reliant in food production, safeguarding its borders or even in national freedom struggle. However, he said that when Punjab faces any problem the Union government becomes insensitive to our problems and leaves us to face it on our own. Bhagwant Singh Mann cited that after the Dinanagar attack Punjab was asked to pay the price for the Indian Army, which had come to neutralize the terror attack from across the border.
Giving a clarion call to all the Punjabis to unite in this hour of grave crisis, the Chief Minister said that it is the need of the hour to rebuild the state adding that if needed he will not hesitate to stage a protest outside the residence of the Prime Minister for the sake of Punjab. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that he is not afraid of the misuse of the central agencies to muzzle the voice of democracy and will continue to fight for safeguarding the interests of the state. He said that it is the need of the hour as history will remember all those who worked for the welfare of the state in this hour of crisis and the others who created obstacles.
The Chief Minister said that this is the time when all of us should join hands and sink our differences to steer Punjab and its people out of this grave crisis. He said that all the leaders should use their influence to help the people of the state to come out of this crisis adding that it is the real service of Punjab. Bhagwant Singh Mann envisioned that with the concerted efforts of the state government and support of all the philanthropists the day is not far when Punjab will re-emerge as the frontrunner state in the country.
The Chief Minister unequivocally asked the opposition to stop the blame game as the floods were a natural catastrophe rather than being a manmade disaster as alleged by them. He dared the opposition to explain that the floods in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and other states were also planned and executed by the Punjab government led by him. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the opposition should refrain from doing politics in this hour of grave crisis when the state is facing its worst disaster.
The Chief Minister bemoaned that the floods have submerged over 2,300 villages, affected more than 2 million people, and destroyed crops across five lakh acres of land. Tragically, he said that 56 lives were lost, and around seven lakh people were rendered homeless adding that 3,200 government schools were damaged, 19 colleges reduced to rubble, 1,400 clinics and hospitals were ruined, 8,500 kilometers of roads were destroyed, and 2,500 bridges collapsed. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that as per initial estimates, the total damage amounts to approximately Rs 13,800 crore, though the actual figure can be even higher.
The Chief Minister said that the state government has carried out the desilting of the drains very effectively adding that during the previous regime 2066 kilometres drains were cleaned whereas his government has cleaned 3825 kilometre drains in merely three years. He said that they have been vehemently pleading for the desilting of Bhakra and Pong Dam with the Union government but unfortunately it has not taken place since last 70 years. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that due to the desilting of Ghaggar river this year despite excess water no flood was reported due to the river.
Coming down heavily on predictions made by the IMD, the Chief Minister said that all the forecasts made by this agency were irrelevant and far from the truth. Citing an example, he said that on one day rainfall was recorded 1961% more than the prediction made by this agency which raised serious question marks over their credibility. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that probably some blue eyed officer of the central government who is not well aware of this work is handing the charge of this office.
The Chief Minister said that this disaster was huge as Pong Dam received 60.4% more water than 1988, when Punjab witnessed floods and Bhakra Dam witnessed 2.65% more water. Likewise, he said that in Ranjit Sagar Dam the water received was 65.3% more than the water received in 2023, which was beyond anyone’s imagination. Talking about the State Disaster Relief Fund, which was earlier known as calamity relief fund, Bhagwant Singh Mann said that in last 25 years out of which Akali-BJP was at power in the state for 12 years and Congress for 10 years, the state had received Rs 6190 crore as funds.
The Chief Minister said that the fact that the state was having Rs 12,000 crore as SDRF was figment of imagination of all the leaders who want to criticize the government for their vested political interests. He said that it is ironic that on pretext of this the Prime Minister during his visit to state gave only Rs 1600 crore to the state which was insufficient for the state as its 2305 villages have been devastated due to floods. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the Rs 1600 crore of Prime Minister will give only Rs 80 lakh to every flood affected village which is a miniscule amount.
The Chief Minister said that even during the visit of the state the Prime Minister only met the Congress wing of BJP who were handpicked by them instead of the real flood affected people. He said that it is unfortunate that the Prime Minister is least bothered about the problems faced by the countrymen and is rather busy in making tours to foreign countries. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that this is grave insult and insensitivity towards the people of the country adding that these foreign tours and foreign policy of the PM has not yielded any result.
The Chief Minister said that the state government has successfully crossed the first phase by safeguarding the people of the state from the fury of floods. He extended words of gratitude towards youngsters, Army and other social workers who saved the precious lives of people while putting themselves in danger. Bhagwant Singh Mann quipped that even in this grim situation a number of people wanted an opportunity to criticize him.
The Chief Minister said that while the leaders from the ruling party were busy serving and saving the people, some key leaders of the opposition used this opportunity for a photo session in a ‘Jaunga’. He said that the people of the state were suffering but opposition leaders shedded crocodile tears and indulged in tantrums for the sake of politics. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that even the Union Ministers came for photo sessions during the floods, the result of which was a cruel joke made by the Prime Minister in the form of Rs 1600 crores.
The Chief Minister said that the state government had been effectively working to save the state from fury of floods adding that the first flood control meeting was held on April 4. He said that contrary to this the previous Congress governments held these meetings in the months of July or even after that too adding that in 2017 it was held on June 12, on July 1 in 2018 and on July 19 in 2019. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the Rangla Punjab fund has been started for expediting the process of relief and rehabilitation in the state.
The Chief Minister said that every penny contributed in this fund will be judiciously utilized for welfare of the flood affected people of the state adding that a new fund has been started as there were certain limitations in Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. He said that funds through CSR cannot be contributed to it adding that even MPs can’t contribute more than 20 lakh in CM Relief Fund. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that to overcome these challenges this new fund is being raised, which has already received huge response from every strata of society.
Training his guns at Akali leader Sukhbir Singh Badal, the Chief Minister said that the President of Akali Dal is now boasting that concrete walls will be raised around the rivers whereas the fact is that people know that they failed to even construct streets during their long misrule. He said that the Akali Chief is distributing money earned through wrong means to people and in most of the villages the same fund is rotated just to mislead the people. Bhagwant Singh Mann further said that the former Deputy Chief Minister claims that massive development of the state took place during their regime but turns blind eye towards Kotakpura, Behbal Kalan and others where sacrilege of Sri Guru Granth Sahib took place and innocents were killed.
