Also writes to the Chief Minister, urging him to strongly present Punjab’s case before the Central Government
500 villages in Punjab affected by floods: crops over lakhs of acres destroyed
New Delhi/Chandigarh, 29 August
Taking serious note of the large-scale devastation caused by floods in Punjab, Rajya Sabha Member Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal has written a letter to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi demanding that the situation be declared a National Calamity. In his letter, he stated that cloudbursts in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir have caused heavy loss of life and property. He further mentioned that rains in Himachal Pradesh and Punjab have also worsened the situation.
Quoting media reports in his letter, he pointed out that nearly 500 villages, 300 government schools, and crops belonging to 3 lakh farmers have come under the grip of floods in Punjab. On the night of 26 August, the Ravi River had a water flow of 14.11 lakh cusecs, whereas in 1988 the highest flow recorded in Ravi was 11.20 lakh cusecs. Sant Seechewal further said that this time, even the Beas River has witnessed a water flow of 2.5 to 3 lakh cusecs. He highlighted in his letter that the current water flow has broken all previous records in Punjab.
Sant Seechewal stated that the water from the Beas River has destroyed thousands of acres of crops belonging to farmers. Presently, all three regions of Punjab — Majha, Malwa, and Doaba — are badly affected by floods. The districts of Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Kapurthala, Ferozepur, and Fazilka are facing severe flood situations.
He wrote in his letter that farmers of Punjab, along with its youth, have always played a crucial role in filling the country’s food grain reserves and have consistently stood and fought for the nation’s interest.
Sant Seechewal also sent a copy of his letter to Punjab Chief Minister Shri Bhagwant Singh Mann, urging him to strongly present Punjab’s case before the Central Government. He appealed to the Chief Minister that Punjab Government should also write to the Government of India with facts, highlighting how heavy rainfall in Himachal Pradesh and other hilly regions is causing floodwaters to enter Punjab’s rivers and create massive devastation. This, he said, would ensure that farmers, laborers, and other affected people of the state receive proper and adequate compensation, and that such compensation be linked with the current inflation index to ensure fairness.
During his interactions, Sant Seechewal reiterated his demand that compensation must directly reach the cultivators.
