Strengthening of two almost eroded stretches of an embankment along Sutlej river at Tendiwala village in Ferozepur, has provided ‘interim relief’ from flood to 12 border villages in Ferozepur on Sunday.
“At about 6 am on Sunday, one weak stretch almost got washed away as river water began seeping but fortunately, Army and NDRF teams assisted by local villagers, patched up the erosion at Tendiwala, a border village. 12 border villages were saved from being marooned,” revealed Amit Gupta, sub divisional magistrate, Ferozepur.
“Rescue teams re-strengthened the eroded embankment and another 25-feet long weak stretch. Within the last 48 hours they set up a 35-feet long ‘embankment’ along a drain to rescue low lying villages from being submerged,” Gupta said.
These 12 villages came under threat of being marooned after a major portion of an embankment in the catchment area of the Sutlej River was washed away due to Pakistan’s repeated release of water into Indian territories on Saturday. Announcements to evacuate had been made in the 12 villages but most villagers had ignored the advice and stayed put.
To mitigate the situation, nine sluice gates at Hussainiwala headworks were raised to 8-feet from yesterday’s 6-feet to release 45,000 cusec water into Pakistan while the discharge from Harike headworks to Hussainiwala was 89,000 cusec.
{{/usCountry}}To mitigate the situation, nine sluice gates at Hussainiwala headworks were raised to 8-feet from yesterday’s 6-feet to release 45,000 cusec water into Pakistan while the discharge from Harike headworks to Hussainiwala was 89,000 cusec.
{{/usCountry}}State cabinet minister Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi accompanied by deputy commissioner Chander Gaind and SSP Vivek S Soni took stock of the situation from aboard a boat at Tendiwala. “We are keeping hawk’s eye on the situation and try best to ensure security and safety of all,” said Gaind.
Philanthropist organizations, meanwhile, are thronging the vicinity to facilitate ‘relief material’ to flood victims.