Punjab Water Resources Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer on Wednesday visited the Siswan and Budhki rivers in Punjab’s Rupnagar district to take stock of the damage and evaluate the situation on the ground. Meet Hayer said that such conditions in the state has arisen “after many years” due to heavy rains that have lashed several parts of the country, including the hill states and Punjab.
The Minister said that many areas of Punjab had to bear the brunt of waterlogging and even flood-like situations as rivers in the state overflowed following heavy rainfall. Meet Hayer said that the department has made all the necessary preparations to tackle the issue. “The situation is fully under control and people need not panic. The flood-affected people in Rupnagar district have been lodged in relief camps, where their food and accommodation have been fully arranged,” he said, adding that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had already released Rs 33.50 crore from the state’s Disaster Relief Fund and approved the release of another Rs 71 crore.
Meet Hayer said, “During this time of crisis, the district, civil, and police administrations are promptly visiting the ground and taking stock of the situation at the grassroots regularly.” He also appealed to the people to contact the Deputy Commissioner’s office in their respective districts so that they can be evacuated in case of an emergency.
