Several villages in Punjab inundated after water launched from Pong, Bhakra dam

By PTI

HOSHIARPUR: Several villages close to the Beas River in Punjab’s Hoshiarpur district and the Sutlej River in Rupnagar district have been inundated following the discharge of extra water from the Pong and the Bhakra dams, officers stated on Tuesday.

Many villagers have been evacuated to security and the authorities are keeping track of the state of affairs, they stated.

In Gurdaspur, the district administration has additionally requested individuals residing in low-lying areas and close to the banks of the Beas to maneuver to safer locations.

In an advisory on Monday, the Punjab authorities had requested residents of Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala and Tarn Taran districts to not enterprise close to the Beas after it was determined that water from the Pong dam could be launched.

The Bhakra dam on the Sutlej and the Pong dam on the Beas — each in Himachal Pradesh — are brimming after heavy rain of their respective catchment areas.

In Hoshiarpur, a number of farmlands within the Talwara, Hajipur, Dasuya, Tanda and Mukerian villages have been flooded attributable to water discharge from the Pong dam reservoir, stated the officers.

Water entered the low-lying villages, fields and a few properties positioned close to the Beas river, they stated.

The Beal Sariana village in Hajipur block is beneath two-three toes of water, forcing some villagers to shift to a village gurdwara in Purochak, stated the officers.

Farmlands of Patti Naam Nagar, Handowal, Ulaha, Dhade Karwal and Patti Nve Ghar villages within the Hajipur space and Changarhwan, Chakmirpur and Sathwan in Talwara block are inundated, they stated.

Water additionally entered the fields of Mehtabpur, Mauli and Naushehra villages within the Mukerian block, they added.

Talwara SHO Hargurdev Singh stated 5 migrant labourers have been rescued after they acquired trapped close to the Shah Nehar barrage in Talwara because of the launch of water from the dam.

Another 15 labourers have been rescued close to Chakmirpur village, the police stated.

Nine members of a household in Changharwan village, positioned close to the river, have additionally been rescued.

Hoshiarpur Deputy Commissioner Komal Mittal stated the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force and non-government organisations are being enlisted for reduction operations.

Mittal stated the evacuation work in about 15 villages continues to be underway and round 1,000 individuals have been despatched to reduction camps.

The reduction camps have been arrange at Bhangala, Atalgarh, Sariana, Gera, Motka, Mehtabpur and Harse Mansar villages.

The administration has organized for excavators and tractor-trailers and deputed medical groups within the flood-affected areas.

It has additionally arrange round the clock flood management rooms on the district and the tehsil ranges, Mittal stated.

The state of affairs is being carefully monitored, she stated and added that no lack of life has been reported from the flood-affected areas up to now.

The deputy commissioner stated the Mukerian-Gurdaspur Road has been closed for vehicular site visitors after getting submerged.

Traffic was diverted to Gurdaspur by way of Pathankot.

Arun Kumar Sidana, the chief engineer of the Beas dam in Talwara, stated the influx in Pong reservoir is 1.42 lakh cusecs and the water is being discharged in a managed method.

The water stage within the Pong dam is presently at 1,399.65 toes. The stage within the Bhakra dam was round 1,677 toes on Monday.

In Rupnagar district, about half a dozen villages, together with Bela Dhyani, Bhanam, Palasi in Nangal space, have been inundated following the discharge of extra water from the Bhakra dam.

Several individuals have been trapped of their properties in Bhanam and Lower Bela villages, positioned close to the Sutlej River, attributable to a robust present, villagers stated.

Education Minister and Anandpur Sahib MLA Harjot Bains stated some villages have been affected because of the launch of water from the Bhakra dam.

Bains stated the persons are being evacuated to safer locations and urged in opposition to any form of panic.

After heavy rain lashed Himachal Pradesh over the previous two days, the surplus water needed to be launched from the Bhakra dam for its security, Bains stated in a video message.

“I am on the ground. Due to the release (of water) from the Bhakra dam, some villages have been severely affected in my constituency. Please don’t panic or trust rumours. We are evacuating people in danger zones. The district administration and the NDRF are offering full assistance,” Bains stated in a put up on X, previously often known as Twitter.

In Gurdaspur, the district administration has directed the residents of Chechia Chorian, Pakhowal, Kherha, Dalelpur, Padana, Chhina Bet, Nadala, Jagatpur Kalan, Kohlian and Khariaan villages to maneuver to security amid an increase within the Beas’ water stage.

Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Mahajan requested individuals to not panic and added that the administration is able to take care of any state of affairs. He stated individuals may also use the helpline to hunt help.

Punjab Chief Secretary Anurag Verma on Monday held a gathering with all deputy commissioners by way of videoconferencing to debate the state of affairs and requested them to be ready to take care of any state of affairs and arrange reduction camps, if vital.

Many villagers have been evacuated to security and the authorities are keeping track of the state of affairs, they stated.

In Gurdaspur, the district administration has additionally requested individuals residing in low-lying areas and close to the banks of the Beas to maneuver to safer locations.googletag.cmd.push(operate() googletag.show(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2′); );