Visit of Inter-Ministerial Central Team in Derabassi flood Affected Area

Farmers apprised the team of devastation caused by floods, demands appropriate compensation

SAS Nagar/ Derabassi: August 8, 2023: (Kartika Singh/Arth Parkash):: 

In view of the efforts being made by the Punjab government to provide relief to the people of Punjab due to heavy rains, flash floods in rivers and canals, especially the badly affected agricultural economy, the inter-ministerial central team today assessed the damage caused by the floods. The Team visited Dehar, Alamgir, Tiwana, Khajur Mandi and Sarasini areas of Derabassi sub-division to take stock of the devastation caused by the Ghaggar.

       The central team took the details of the damage from the local officials and also talked to the farmers. The farmers described the damage in detail and gave suggestions on how to get life back on track and demanded maximum compensation.

          The Principal Secretary of the Water Resources Department,  Mr. Krishna Kumar, while talking about the widespread damage caused by the flash floods in the rivers in the state, also apprised about the work done and ongoing by the Punjab government to provide relief to the people.

Water Resources Principal Secretary Krishan Kumar and DC Aashika Jain apprised the team of  loss caused by the flash floods           

 During the interaction with the central team, Deputy Commissioner Mrs Ashika Jain gave detailed information about the damage caused by Ghaggar in the district. The Deputy Commissioner also put suggestions before the team to re-cultivate the agricultural lands in the Ghaggar belt. She said that in this part of the Ghaggar belt, due to the breach of the Ghaggar embankment from various places, several feet thick   layer of soil/sand (silt)  has been deposited in hundreds of acres of fields and in many places, the fields and soil have been washed away due to change of river course and have been turned into ditches, requiring a long time labour and finance to make them cultivable again.

        The Deputy Commissioner said that in these villages, the Ghaggar Dam came under the direct threat of a breach of thousands of feet and the river changed its direction of flow and entered the fields of the people. In this area, 115 acres of land has been eroded and silt has accumulated in 659 acres.

          Mrs Jain said that the breach in the Dehar-Alamgir-Tiwana link embankment of Ghaggar has been successfully plugged.  Preparations are being made for the Tiwana-Khajur Mandi breach which has hit Sarsini and adjoining areas badly. She said that the floods have hit the Derabassi  and Kharar sub-divisions more in this district, because the water from Jharmal river, Sukhna Chow and Kaushalya dam inflows with the Ghaggar in Derabassi.  While in the Kharar area, Patiala ki Rao, Jayanti ki Rao, S.Y.L. caused damage. She also said that realizing the urgent need of the people in many places in the district, compensation has been distributed for the reconstruction of damaged houses.

           The Inter Ministerial Central Team was comprised of Ravinesh Kumar, Finacial Advisor, NDMA, Ministry of Home Affairs, News Delhi, B K Srivastava, Director, Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, New Delhi, Dr. A.V. Suresh Babu, Head, Food Mapping & Scientist/Engineer-SG Hazard Assessment  Division (FM & HAD) Disaster Management Support Group (DMSG) Remote Sensing Applications Area (RSAA), NRSG, ISRO, Deptt of Space, Balanagar-Hyderabad, Kallash Kumar, Under Secretary (SAGY) Department of Rural  Development, Ministry of Rural Development, New Delhi, Ashok Kumar Jeph, Director, M & A Dte Central Water Commission Bhujal Bhawan, Chandigarh, Smt. Anjali Maurya, Assistant Director (PFS), Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance, Sh. Navin Kumar Chaurasia, SERE of Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Chandigarh. SDM Derabassi Himanshu Gupta was also present there.