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52 villages in Fazilka, Ferozepur inundated as Harike, Hussainiwala discharge excess
By Friday evening, 1.29 lakh cusecs of water had been released from Harike Headworks, marking a rise of nearly 30,000 cusecs within 24 hours; another 1.22 lakh cusecs of water was discharged downstream from Hussainiwala Headworks
The increase in discharge of water from Harike Headworks on Friday further deepened the flood misery of villagers in Ferozepur and Fazilka.
By Friday evening, 1.29 lakh cusecs of water had been released from Harike Headworks, marking a rise of nearly 30,000 cusecs within 24 hours. Another 1.22 lakh cusecs of water was discharged downstream, including to Pakistan, from Hussainiwala Headworks, further compounding villagers’ worries.
The surge has left 32 villages in Ferozepur and another 20 in Fazilka district inundated, worsening conditions in areas already grappling with flooding earlier this week. Heavy rains and recent cloudburst incidents in the hills have pushed rivers and rivulets into spate, severely impacting water levels at Harike and Hussainiwala.
In border village Gatti Rajoke, farmland was submerged after water overflowed from a Pakistani bundh near BSF’s Satpalke post. Standing crops of paddy, taro (arbi), lotus stem and carrots have been damaged. Villagers said water in their fields rose from one foot on Thursday to nearly three feet by Friday, leaving little hope of salvaging the harvest.
In Kalu Wala, a border village, water from Sutlej river and adjoining fields entered homes, forcing residents to move belongings to rooftops. BSF motor boats were pressed in to evacuate women and children from three families. Some stored possessions in the primary school building on higher ground, but many villagers refused to leave, citing fear for their livestock.
Even in Dheera Ghara, floodwaters entered several houses, leaving families scrambling to save their belongings. “The situation is worsening each day,” residents said. In Muttheyawala Kamalwala, overflow from a pond flooded a government school, a recurring problem during monsoon. Pumps were deployed to drain the water.
In Nihala Lavera, Balwinder Singh said he carried cattle fodder on his head through waist-deep water daily. “I can skip a meal for myself, but I cannot let my animals go hungry,” he said.
Deputy commissioner Deepshikha Sharma said monitoring teams had been deployed across all affected areas. She assured that embankments were safe and the situation was “under control.” To avoid disruption in education, online classes have been introduced, with teachers conducting sessions from nearby schools.
Meanwhile, water resources minister Barinder Kumar Goyal, and rural development and panchayat minister Tarunpreet Singh Saund visited the flood-affected villages along the international border in Fazilka. They assessed damage in Kawanwali Pattan and Muhar Jamsher, listened to residents’ grievances and directed officials to provide immediate relief.
Due to water-logged roads, both ministers used a tractor to reach Muhar Jamsher village, surrounded on three sides by Pakistan. Goyal said inflow at the dams had reduced and relief was expected in the coming days.
Officials have been instructed to remain stationed in villages to ensure timely assistance.
Minister distributes flood aid in Tarn Taran
Cabinet minister Laljit Singh Bhullar distributed thousands of quintals of feed, green fodder, bran and silage among flood-hit villagers in Patti constituency on Friday.
To assist farmers, families and cattle trapped in the flood-hit villages and houses were also evacuated and shifted to safer places.
While serving on the embankments, Bhullar said relief material and other essential facilities were also being provided to the affected families, and proper arrangements had been made for the treatment of cattle as well.
He said in this difficult time of natural disaster, he was standing with them like a rock and there was no need for the affected people to panic.
The Punjab government has already made all necessary arrangements to deal with any possible flood situation. He informed that administrative officers were continuously monitoring the flow and level of water in the rivers, and the administration was exercising full vigilance. He appealed to the residents of the flood-affected villages that the Punjab government is fully prepared to face any emergency.
He added that being a farmer himself, he understood the losses suffered by farmers in the affected areas. Thanking various religious and social service organisations, he said these institutions were carrying out invaluable service works in the flood-hit areas. With the spirit of selfless service, they are working for the suffering people, for which he also expressed his gratitude
