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Punjab: Flood water enters Sardulgarh town, low-lying areas inundated
The Ghaggar’s fury further continues in Punjab’s Mansa as a day after the fifth breach at Phus Mandi, the flood water on Wednesday evening entered Sardulgarh town in Mansa district
The Ghaggar’s fury further continues in Punjab’s Mansa as a day after the fifth breach at Phus Mandi, the flood water on Wednesday evening entered Sardulgarh town in Mansa district.
The breach, which happened on Tuesday morning, has increased to over 200 feet wide in Phus Mandi. After Phus Mandi and Sadhuwala villages were completely submerged, the flood water surrounded Sardulgarh town and started entering the low-lying areas on Wednesday. More than 100 houses in ward number 3 and 4 of the town are inundated. \The locals have stopped flood water from entering the city by putting up temporary embankments near the Mansa-Sirsa highway to prevent it from entering Sardulgarh town. The embankment is holding the water at present but there is panic among people as to how long it can stay put as the flow of water has increased. The flood water is surrounding the town from the highway side.
Meanwhile, a 250-foot wide breach in Ghaggar at Chandpura Bundh could not be plugged even after 104 hours and flood water from the river continue to inundate more villages of Budhlada subdivision in the district. Army had started the process to plug the Chandpura Bundh breach on Tuesday evening but struggling due to the strong flow of water. On Saturday, the Ghaggar River’s embankments at Rorki village and near Chandpura bundh in Budhlada sub-division gave way on the Punjab side. On Monday, two breaches occurred at Jhande Khurd village and Rorki village in Sardulgarh. All five breaches are yet to be plugged in the district as the Ghaggar is flowing at 24.6 feet, which is 3.6 feet above the danger mark. Mansa deputy commissioner Rishi Pal Singh said that the flood water has entered low-lying areas of Sardulgarh town. “Our teams are working on the relief works. The people have been shifted to other camps from the areas affected by flood water in the town and surrounding villages. The water flow in Ghaggar at Chandpura has decreased a little so hopefully plugging work can be completed soon. The army unit is working on plugging the breach at Chandpura Bundh. Meanwhile, work to plug the other four breaches are yet to start,” he said.
The flood water entered the Food Corporation of India’s (FCI) godown situated on the outskirts of Sardulgarh town. Pawan Sharma, FCI manager, said that around 2 lakh bags of wheat and rice stored in the godown are submerged in flood water. Mansa Zila Parishad, chairman, Bikramjit Singh Mohfar said that there is no coordination between Punjab and Haryana right now which has led to breaches. “After the water level was increased in Ghaggar, the Punjab government had no discussion with their counterparts in Haryana to discuss strategy. Now water coming from the Chandpura Bundh breach is reaching Sardarewala in Haryana but the drain in the area is not cleaned yet. If there is another breach villages of Boha and Jhunir blocks will be affected badly. Punjab government must act swiftly and coordinate with Haryana,” he added.
