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Alert in Sultanpur Lodhi, administration plans to evacuate 16 villages
The affected villages include — Baopur, Dhunna, Baopur Kadim, Baopur Zadid, Bheni Kadamwala, Sangran, Gaurewal, Kishangarh, Ramapur Gorey and Tangra.
The district administration sounded alert in Sultanpur Lodhi after the The Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) authorities announced to release excess water from the Pong Dam in Beas on Tuesday.
The administration advised residents of the 16 villages in the Mand area to vacate their houses
Kapurthala deputy commissioner (DC) Mohammad Tayyab said he had reviewed the situation and held a meeting with the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Charumita Shekhar to ensure preparations to tackle the situation.
“Villages get cut-off from Sultanpur Lodhi after water level of Beas River rises. If authorities release more water into Beas, we will appeal people to vacate their houses and go to safer places,” Tayyab said.
Over 5,000 residents of the 16 villages in the island spread over 25 sq km, also called ‘Mini Sri Lanka’ of Punjab, face troubles every year, said a resident and Kissan Sangarsh Committee president Paramjit Singh.
The affected villages include — Baopur, Dhunna, Baopur Kadim, Baopur Zadid, Bheni Kadamwala, Sangran, Gaurewal, Kishangarh, Ramapur Gorey and Tangra.
Deputy commissioner (DC) Isha Kalia on Monday visited the dam in Talwara and vulnerable areas along Beas. She advised people to not go near the river. She also asked people to keep restraint and not trust rumours.
“The BBMB authorities will keep the district administration in loop. They have assured that the proposed release will not cause any crisis,” the DC said.
“As venturing in the river can be risky, we have told the residents to remain cautious,” she said. Special teams have been deputed to keep round the clock vigil at the situation.
“We have made arrangements to tackle eventualities. Flood control rooms have been activated and people have been alerted through revenue staff to take precautionary measures,” she claimed.
People have been asked to keep distance from ‘choes’ (rivulets) as they suddenly brim when water flows downhill from Shivaliks. In Tanda, a college van was trapped in a swollen choe at Jhawan village on Monday morning. Locals had to toil hard to rescue the students. No casualties were reported.
Water overflowing from Kali Bein has entered fields in several villages of Mukerian, Dasuya and Tanda.
A number of kuccha houses fell due to rain. One house collapsed in Katcha Toba locality and eight houses fell in Lalwan village in Mahilpur. The affected families took shelter in community hall. Three houses were reportedly damaged in Garhshankar.
A Maruti Swift almost swept away in gushing choe water near Garhi Mansowal in Garhshankar. Six occupants, including a child, were rescued by the villagers.
Heavy rain has resulted in rising of water in Pong dam and river Beas, causing panic among people living in its vicinity in Dasuya and Mukerian sub-divisions of the district.
50,000 cusecs water released in Sutlej
District DC Varinder Kumar Sharma inspected the Satluj river and reviewed flood arrangements on Monday.
The DC, who visited flood-prone area in Phillaur sub-division on Monday, said due to release of 50,000 cusecs from Ropar head works in Sarsa, Siswan and Savaan rivulets, the water level in river Satluj has increased.
The health department has been asked to keep its teams ready and Powercom has been instructed to supply power in proposed relief centres if the need arises.
However, the DC appealed to the people that there was no need to panic as the district administration was at their disposal.
Sharma directed the sub-divisional magistrates (SDMs) to keep a tab on the situation. He asked the officers to ensure proper working of all sewerage treatment plants (STPs).
“The block development and panchayat officers (BDPOs) have been asked to be vigilant in villages. The drainage department will ensure adequate number of JCB machines. Sandbags will be arranged to deal with excess water,” the DC said.
SBS Nagar DC Vinay Bublani and senior superintendent of police (SSP) Deepak Hilori visited ‘dhussi bandh’ alongside Sutlej river to take stock of the sensitive sites on Monday.
Bublani directed revenue officers to coordinate with drainage department to take steps to plug sensitive points at dhussi bandh and ordered to set up 13 relief centres across the district.
