New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit the flood-affected areas of Punjab on September 9. He is also expected to visit Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. In Punjab, Modi is likely to visit Gurdaspur, officials said.
Earlier, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had toured Punjab and said he had come on the instructions of PM Modi. He assured full central support to the state. The Punjab government has been demanding ₹60,000 crore from the Centre for relief and rehabilitation.
According to state Finance Minister Harpal Cheema, floods have hit 2,000 villages in Punjab and 43 people have died so far. He said the state has not yet received the financial aid it requested from the Centre. Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced a grant of ₹5 crore for Punjab on Saturday.
In Ludhiana, the Sasrali dam on the Sutlej river, which had breached at midnight on Friday, remained a cause of concern. The administration, with the help of the Army and NDRF, built a ring dam to prevent water from reaching populated areas, but it also began to erode on Saturday. A third dam was subsequently being constructed.
Officials warned that if the floodwaters advance further, 14 villages and areas up to Samrala Chowk via Rahon Road could be inundated. Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain was seen filling mud sacks alongside local residents, while evacuation efforts continued in vulnerable villages.
The Army remained engaged in efforts to control the water flow. Meanwhile, five boats were sent for flood relief by Bollywood actor Salman Khan’s foundation. Aam Aadmi Party general secretary and Punjab Tourism chairman Deepak Bali visited flood-hit Ferozepur, where he handed over the boats to the local administration.
