PATROLLING TEAMS ENSURING CONSTANT MONITORING OF GHAGGAR RIVER: CABINET MINISTER BARINDER GOYAL*
Punjab E News (September 5): In a decisive and proactive response to the current flood situation, Punjab Cabinet Ministers Hardeep Singh Mundian and Harjot Singh Bains are on the front lines, personally directing large-scale efforts to strengthening the dhussi bandhs in their respective districts to safeguard residents from the flood threat.
In the Ludhiana district, Cabinet Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian is taking direct charge of a critical, high-priority project in Sasrali. He is closely monitoring the war-footing construction of a new temporary ring bandh, approximately 500 meters from the existing Dhussi Bandh. This massive initiative, undertaken by the district administration in collaboration with the Indian Army, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and local villagers, is designed to to bolster flood protection for the region.
Minister Mundian is being assisted by Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain and a team of officials who have been stationed on-site for the past two days. The Deputy Commissioner confirmed that the existing Dhussi Bandh remains intact, with no breaches reported.
Similarly, in Sri Anandpur Sahib constituency of Ropar district, Cabinet Minister Harjot Singh Bains is personally overseeing the strengthening of weakened Satluj river embankments. Minister Bains is on the ground, directing crews to reinforce vulnerable points with jumbo bags and ensuring the safety of all residents.
Providing a significant update, Minister Harjot Bains shared that the water level in the Bhakra Dam has receded from 1679.05 feet to 1678.66 feet, offering considerable relief. He added that weather predictions indicate reduced rainfall, which is expected to further stabilise conditions.
In Gurdaspur, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh accompanied by Punjab Cabinet Minister and Aam Aadmi State President Aman Arora and PWD Minister Harbhajan Singh E.T.O. visited the flood-affected areas of Dera Baba Nanak and flagged off trolleys carrying relief materials for the flood victims at Shahpur Jajan Patti Rampur village. After this, they visited the Dera Baba Nanak area and the Sri Kartarpur Sahib Corridor to assess the damage caused by the floods.
Echoing the commitment to public service, Cabinet Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond has dispatched essential aid from Khanna, including three trucks of rations and animal feed for flood affected areas. “Helping the flood-affected people in this difficult time is our utmost duty,” said Sond.
Meanwhile, Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal visited various villages including Makraur Sahib in Lehra Gaga constituency to review the situation along the Ghaggar river. He informed that round-the-clock patrolling teams have also been deputed to ensure constant monitoring of the river and five relief camps have been set up at different locations for nearby towns and villages along the Ghaggar river.
These efforts of the ministers are being backed by a fully prepared administrative machinery. Proactive inspections are underway in Rupnagar, led by Deputy Commissioner Varjit Walia and SSP Rupnagar Gulneet Singh Khurana.
