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50 people rescued from Ludhiana villages, farmer killed in roof-collapse
Ludhiana Following a breach in a bundh in the Sutlej river in the wee hours on Monday, panic gripped the residents of several villages on the banks of the river
Ludhiana Following a breach in a bundh in the Sutlej river in the wee hours on Monday, panic gripped the residents of several villages on the banks of the river after which NDRF teams were sent to Bholewal Kadim, Allowal and Nawan Khera villages.
After remaining stuck for over four hours in their houses, around 50 villagers were rescued using boats by noon. About 20 people were rescued from Bholewal Kadim village alone.
“The bundh was in our fields and it was breached around 3.30am. We have suffered huge losses as the crop on several acres of land has been destroyed,” said Darshan Singh from Bholewal village. The villagers also blamed the district administration for alleged delay in the rescue operations. “We were stranded since 4am with water all around. The rescue teams reached in the morning,” said Gurbaksh Kaur.
Punjab water resources minister Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria visited areas along the Sutlej river to assess the situation. Sarkaria visited Bholewal village near Phillaur, where a swollen Sutlej had breached the dhussi bundh and inundated fields.
Chief agriculture officer Baldev Singh said around 3,000 hectares in over 10 villages were hit. The crop damage assessment for compensation will be done once the water recedes, he said.
Farmer killed in roof-collapse
A 70-year-old farmer, Anokh Singh, died after the roof of his house collapsed in Mand Sukhewal village of Machhiwara on Sunday night due to heavy rain. Anokh used to live alone in the house built in a farm. The incident happened when he was sleeping. Villagers rushed him to a hospital, where the doctors declared him dead. It is fourth such death in the district. Three members of a family had died at Haul village of Khanna on Saturday after the roof of their house came crashing.
