Ferozepur officials on toes to prevent disease outbreak

Though floodwater is receding, 102 villages in Ferozepur district are still waterlogged; 60 teams holding health camps in affected areas, says deputy commissioner

Amid the receding floodwaters, health officials have been on toes as they are conducting fogging besides holding camps to ensure there is no outbreak of water-borne diseases in the affected villages of Ferozepur.

A medical camp in a village in Ferozepur district on Monday.

On Monday, the discharge from Harike and Hussainiwala headworks dropped to 2.44 lakh cusecs, down from 3.30 lakh a few days ago. As many as 102 villages are still inundated.

Deputy commissioner Deepshikha Sharma said the administration has been on alert. “Under the supervision of civil surgeon Dr Rajwinder Kaur, more than 60 health teams are working round the clock in the villages where water has receded. The focus of the special campaign is on anti-larvae spray, distribution of chlorine tablets and ensuring a steady supply of essential medicines. Specialist doctors, including dermatologists, have been deployed, while snake-bite prevention camps have been organised in Bare Ke and Arif Ke. Ambulances are also stationed,” she said.

She further informed that a state-level health campaign would be launched soon to check dengue, malaria and chikungunya.

“Now that the immediate flood threat is receding, we face the real risk of disease outbreaks—dengue, malaria, and chikungunya are our biggest concerns,” said a senior health official overseeing the post-flood response.

Fogging is being conducted in Jallo and Gatti Rajo villages while relief camps have been set up in Ruknewala, Jallo Ke Mor, Hamad Chak, Arif Ke and Qutbdin Wala. The BSF has also set up a medical camp at Lakha Singh Wala Mamdot.

Among over hundred submerged villages, Tendi Wala and and Mallanwala’s Talli Gulam village are the worst affected where the water levels are four and five feet, respectively. In waterlogged areas, relief efforts by the administration, NGOs and volunteers are underway. Aid has been pouring in from Punjab as well as Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Several NGOs and film personalities, including Sonu Sood, visited flood-hit areas to extend support. “With water receding, the challenge is to identify the needy and prepare a list of households with urgent requirements so that aid from philanthropists reaches the genuine people,” Sood said.

Residents of villages, such as Fatte Wala, are spending nights on rooftops amid the scarcity of fodder and medical support for cattle, said local resident Harjit Singh. Villagers said food supplies were reaching them, but lack of fodder for cattle remains the biggest problem.

Fazilka deputy commissioner Amarpreet Kaur Sandhu said 10,874 ration kits and 5,890 bags of cattle feed have been distributed so far. The flood has affected 25,037 residents, with 4,235 people evacuated. A total of 30 relief camps have been set up of which 14 are still functional, housing 2,761 people.