Cabinet minister Aman Arora on Monday urged all parties to fight for a revision of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) norms and an additional relief package to compensate flood victims in the state.
Participating in the discussion on the official resolution regarding flood relief and rehabilitation, Arora, who is also the state chief of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party, said the existing norms of SDRF for compensation to flood victims were inadequate.
“All MLAs need to put aside political differences and collectively demand a revision of the SDRF norms and a comprehensive relief package from the central government that addresses the monumental losses faced by the people of the state,” he added.
He blamed the previous Congress and SAD-BJP governments, along with the BJP-led central government, for the recent disaster, claiming that the Congress government’s 2017 decision to declare a 260-km stretch of the Beas River a “Ramsar Site” was a prime example of hollow political wisdom.
He called it a politically motivated decision taken without any application of mind, which made de-silting of the river literally impossible and challenged senior Congress leaders who were part of the then cabinet to explain the decision.
{{/usCountry}}He called it a politically motivated decision taken without any application of mind, which made de-silting of the river literally impossible and challenged senior Congress leaders who were part of the then cabinet to explain the decision.
{{/usCountry}}He also cited a 2023 survey report to highlight that Harike Lake, a vital wetland in Punjab, had reportedly lost 56% of its water retaining capacity. The Rajasthan government, a major beneficiary of the water from Harike Barrage, had refused to share the cost of de-silting, despite several letters written to the neighbouring state, he added.
Fight for Punjab in Delhi: Pargat to CM
Congress MLA Pargat Singh, while agreeing with Arora, said chief minister Bhagwant Mann should lead Punjab’s political battle in Delhi. “Stop blaming Delhi, go to Delhi. Fight for Punjab, confront the Prime Minister. Unless Punjab’s leadership fights at the Centre, nothing will come to Punjab’s share,” he said.
Alleging that the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) and the India Meteorological Department (IMD) pushed Punjab into floods, Pargat demanded FIRs against both agencies. “If Himachal Pradesh can file an FIR, why not Punjab? Wrong decisions by BBMB and IMD’s wildly inaccurate forecasts devastated Punjab. These agencies must face a thorough probe,” he claimed.
AAP MLA Gurpreet Singh Banawali also stated that the norms of SDRF and NDRF for disaster relief needed to be revised. “The compensation provided for losses due to floods is like oonth ke muh me jeera,” he said, implying that it was grossly inadequate.