E-Paper
Fresh Sutlej breaches flood 80 villages in Punjab’s Shahkot, Sultanpur Lodhi
Crops on 45,000 acres submerged; Lohian Khas area worst-affected; air force teams called in to airdrop food items, essentials to those trapped in submerged areas.
At least 80 villages in Shahkot and Sultanpur Lodhi sub-divisions of Jalandhar and Kapurthala districts were flooded on Tuesday with the Sutlej breaching its banks at four more places.
Crops on more than 45,000 acres of land, including 30,000 acres in Shahkot, are submerged.
Lohian Khas in the Shahkot sub-division is the worst-hit as 50 of these villages fall in the area. On Monday, the river breached embankments at five places in Shahkot and Phillaur areas of Jalandhar district.
Of a total of nine breaches in the two neighbouring districts in two days, eight took in Jalandhar.
Hundreds of families were trapped in their houses surrounded by floodwater with the administration calling three helicopters to drop food and other essentials.
At Shahkot’s Mandiala village, a major breach that occurred early Tuesday morning could not be plugged despite efforts of the local residents. Soon, the floodwater entered more than 30 villages in the area.
Mandiala residents said a man went missing after he fell into the Sutlej. Teams of National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) searched for him, but to no avail.
Several villages have been cut off. Sucha Singh of Mandiala village said the area was flooded in 1988 and 2008.
Swaran Singh and other residents of Gidderpindi village said weed and mud caused blockage in the river flow near the railway bridge, leading to the breach. The water level of the river crossed the danger mark near the railw tracks. The railways authorities started rescue operation as the water entered the railway quarters.
Jalandhar deputy commissioner Varinder Kumar Sharma said the army and NDRF teams were called in to expedite plugging of the breaches at Mandiala and Jania village in Shahkot. Another column of the army will reach Shahkot on Wednesday, he added.
Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Navjot Singh Mahal said help of the Indian Air Force (IAF) was sought to airdrop food packets to the needy people.
Locals refuse to leave houses fearing theft
At some places, many villagers refused to leave their houses fearing theft. The administration officials convinced the families to shift women and children to relief camps while male members could stay back.
Kapurthala deputy commissioner DPS Kharbanda said over 50 people were rescued by the administration. “We have started work to plug the breach,” he added.
Environmentalist Balbir Singh Seechewal along with his followers is also helping in plugging the breaches rescuing people. Khalsa Aid, an NGO is also providing food to those trapped in flooded areas.
