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Ludhiana: Residents pin blame on officials for flood damages
Villagers from Allowal, Sasrali, Dulewal, Talwandi Naubad, and Garhi Fazal said the embankments have become fragile, especially in areas where illegal mining has been rampant
Residents of several flood-prone villages along the Sutlej river have blamed the authorities for their failure to maintain embankments and check illegal sand mining in the region which they said increased the risk of breaches. On Tuesday, fresh damage was reported near Garhi Fazal village as high-speed water flow damaged the weak embankment, further deepening concerns of nearby villagers.
Villagers from Allowal, Sasrali, Dulewal, Talwandi Naubad, and Garhi Fazal said the embankments have become fragile, especially in areas where illegal mining has been rampant. They alleged that unchecked mining activities have reduced the base levels near the river, weakening the dhussi bundhs and increasing the risk of breaches during the monsoon.
Kuldeep Singh, a farmer from Sasrali, said, “Every year, we are on high alert because of the rising water levels. But this year, it’s worse. The embankments are not strong enough, and the river has already reached dangerous levels. Illegal mining has hollowed out the foundation near the bundh. We are at the mercy of the river now.”
Sukhwinder Singh, a resident of Garhi Fazal, added, “The bundh here has again been damaged. It’s the second time in 10 days. We had informed the authorities about the weakening of the structure, but no preventive action was taken. We request the government to immediately fill the low-lying areas with soil and stones.”
From Dulewal, Balwinder Singh said, “We are living in fear. Water has already started entering the fields. Had the authorities acted in time and controlled the mining mafia, the bundhs would have been strong. Now the entire village is at risk.”
Satnam Singh of Talwandi Naubad said, “The entire dhussi bundh needs reinforcement. Sandbags and stone studs are not enough. We need a long-term solution. The erosion of land due to mining is the root cause of all these breaches.”
Villagers are now demanding that the state government and the district administration take immediate steps to fill the low-lying and hollowed areas with heavy stones, soil, and concrete. They have called for a complete crackdown on illegal mining and better coordination between the irrigation department and the local administration to prevent further damage.
Deputy commissioner Himanshu Jain said, “I have already directed the officials to take preventive measures to stop illegal mining in different areas across the district”.
