Sukhbir Badal calls for immediate delineation and cleaning of all drains

Rajpura/Patiala: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal today called for immediate delineation and cleaning of all drains including that alongside the Rajpura thermal plant which had led to the formation of a lake in the area.

The SAD president toured flood affected villages in Rajpura, Ghanaur, Sanaur, Samana and Patiala Rural constituencies and also coordinated relief work being conducted by SAD and Youth Akali Dal (YAD) workers in conjunction with the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and social organizations.

Talking to newsmen near the Rajpura thermal plant, Mr Sukhbir Badal said “villagers complained that more than hundred acres of land had been inundated because a natural drain which flowed along the thermal plant had been filled up. They also disclosed that they had demanded the water be pumped out from the area but nothing had been done in this regard till now”. Mr Badal rang up the Deputy Commissioner to apprise her of the situation and requested that urgent steps be taken to provide relief to the people. “If this is not done in the next two days then we will take steps to drain out the water ourselves”, he added.

Mr Badal while talking to newsmen at Lacchru Khurd village in Ghanaur said even though villages in the area including Sarhala Khurd were inundated in water, requisite steps had not been taken to provide relief to the people. “Many farmers complained that no fodder had been supplied to them and that they also lacked medical aid”. He said the SGPC was already providing ‘langar’ in the area. “I have also requested SGPC to provide medical aid wherever needed”.

The SAD president said it was also unfortunate that the chief minister’s tour of the area had been cancelled. “Due to this officers have also not reached this area. The chief minister should visit all flood affected areas to ensure provision of speedy relief to all affected”. He said it was unfortunate that the AAP government had been caught napping and did not take necessary steps in advance to mitigate the suffering of the people. “The chief minister also remained busy ferrying AAP Convener Arvind Kejriwal to other States due to which necessary flood protection steps were not taken”.

Mr Badal also expressed shock that relief material had still not reached some villages in Sanaur and Samana constituencies and demanded that required food packets, green fodder and medicines along with medical teams be dispatched to all affected areas. He said people were also looking up to the AAP government to provide immediate relief to them. ““Rs five lakh each should be released to all whose houses have been damaged while farmers should be given an interim relief of Rs 25,000 per acre before the conduct of girdawari”.

Mr Badal also asserted the AAP government approach the center and prevail upon it to declare the current situation as a natural calamity in order to avail funds under the National Disaster Management Fund. He said in the meantime the State government should announce a relief package for all displaced persons, those whose houses had been damaged, farmers as well as poor people whose livelihood had been adversely affected by the deluge.

Senior leaders who accompanied the SAD president included Prof Prem Singh Chandumajra, Charanjit Singh Brar, Harinderpal Singh Chandumjara, Surjit Singh Rakhra and Jaspal Singh Bittu Chatha.