Sutlej flows near danger mark, villagers keep vigil - Hindustan Times
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Sutlej flows near danger mark, villagers keep vigil

Hindustan Times, Ludhiana | ByAmarpal Singh
Aug 19, 2019 12:02 AM IST

Panic gripped several villages including Bholewal Jadid, Rajapur, Khera Bet and Gorsian Hakkam Rai after 2.23-lakh cusec water released from Ropar headworks

Panic gripped several villages including Bholewal Jadid, Rajapur, Khera Bet and Gorsian Hakkam Rai after 2.23-lakh cusec water released from Ropar headworks. 

Water level of Sutlej river has been rising near Ladhowal in Ludhiana .(Gurpreet Singh)
Water level of Sutlej river has been rising near Ladhowal in Ludhiana .(Gurpreet Singh)

Meanwhile, cabinet minister for food, civil supplies and consumer affairs department Bharat Bhushan Ashu with mayor Balkar Singh Sandhu and municipal corporation (MC) commissioner Kanwalpreet Kaur Brar visited Khera Bet to review the preventive measures on Sunday. However, the furious villagers of Bholewal Jadid expressed that the Ashu passed through the village but didn’t stop to listen to their issues. 

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Villagers said despite repeated requests, the authorities have not even setup a bandh at Bholewal Jadid village . 

VILLAGERS, A DEJECTED LOT

A villager Jarnail Singh Gill, whose house is just 15ft away from the banks of Sutlej river was sitting outside his house with his family.The water level has increased and reached the ground level inundating the nearby fields.

“I had grown fodder for the livestock but it has been destroyed now,” he said while adding, “When cabinet minister Ashu was heading towards Khera Bet, I and a few villagers stood on the road hoping that he will stop to listen to us but he didn’t stop, neither while heading towards Khera Bet nor while returning.” 

“After we settled here in 1982, we had 35 acre but were left with just six acres after floods in 1988. For past several years we have been requesting authorities to setup a bandh and it was approved in 2016 but till date authorities have not done anything,” he said. 

Another villager Borh Singh said, “Presently political leaders do not need votes, so they are not concerned about us.”

“The minister’s visit was just a formality,” he said, adding there is no arrangement for food and other necessary things. 

Villagers keeping vigil as the water-level of Sutlej river rises near Ladhowal in Ludhiana. (Gurpreet Singh/HT)
Villagers keeping vigil as the water-level of Sutlej river rises near Ladhowal in Ludhiana. (Gurpreet Singh/HT)

ANNOUNCEMENTS MADE

Sub-inspector at Laddowal police station Balwinder Singh who was sitting with sarpanch Hardeep Singh Lucky and other panchayat members at Khera Bet village to keep a check on water level, said announcements have been made through loudspeakers and at gurdwaras to alert the villagers about the situation.

“As of now, the situation is under control. Sutlej is flowing around two-ft below the danger level but it will increase by the evening,” he said. 

Talking about the arrangements ,made, he said,“There are 15 swimmers, four boats, one deep diving set and an oxygen set, 128 life jackets and 73 personnels from National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) who have separate swimmers and around 10 boats.” 

Khera Bet village sarpanch Hardeep Singh said, “After the news of release of water from Ropar headworks broke, the situation in the village has become tense.However, with the help of administration and police, we are preparing to deal with the floods.”

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