1,058 villages in 14 Punjab districts affected by floods

As many as 1,058 villages of 14 districts in Punjab are affected by floods, according to an official statement. The affected villages include 364 in Rupnagar, 268 in Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, 250 in Patiala, 71 in Jalandhar, 30 in Moga, 25 in Hoshiarpur, 16 in Ludhiana, three each in Sangrur and Ferozepur, and six in Tarn Taran, it said. At gaushalas in Brahman Majra, Sirhind, Fatehgarh Sahib, 800 bovines have been saved is rescue operations, the statement issued here said. Cattle deaths have been reported from Fatehgarh Sahib, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, Tarn Taran and Jalandhar, it said. The statement said 6,300 hens have died in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, and eight piglets, seven pigs and a goat in Sirhind City due to floods.

The Relief and Rehabilitation Department is undertaking the distribution of relief materials and organising relief camps in the different districts affected by the floods. "The department is also at the forefront to distribute relief material to the people under which 16,425 food packets and 1,816 medicines have been distributed in Rupnagar, 12,500 food packets in Patiala, 2,000 food packets in Mohali, 1,500 in SBS Nagar, 1,000 food packets in Fatehgarh Sahib, 100 relief kits in Jalandhar. Besides, 15,185 food packets have been provided too," it said. Rapid Response Teams comprising veterinary doctors and other staff have been deployed in the affected zones. These teams are treating animals in rural households, sometimes using boats to reach their destination.

Revenue, Rehabilitation and Disaster Management Minister Bram Shanker Jimpa on Wednesday presided over a meeting with all deputy commissioners and senior officials of various departments.
The Punjab government has no dearth of money to deal with this natural calamity and Rs 33.50 crore has already been released to all deputy commissioners for relief work, the minister said.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will soon release Rs 71.50 crore to provide all possible help to people in flood-affected areas, he said.