The BRICS Times
Punjab Revenue, Rehabilitation and Disaster Management Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian on Friday informed that during the past 24 hours, no loss of human life has been recorded in the flood-affected state, where citizens are finally seeing some respite following days of relentless rainfall.
According to the minister, the intensity of rain has decreased in both the upper hilly regions and across Punjab, providing a much-needed breather. He noted that official reports from districts confirm there has been no additional increase in the number of affected people, though certain patches of agricultural land remain inundated. Reassuringly, he emphasized that no fresh human casualties have been reported.
From August 1 to September 4, floods claimed 43 lives across 14 districts of Punjab. Mundian shared that 21,929 residents have been rescued from waterlogged areas, while 196 relief camps have been established to house 7,108 displaced people. Fazilka has seen the maximum influx of people into relief shelters at 2,548, followed by Hoshiarpur, Ferozepur, and Pathankot. In total, around 1.72 lakh hectares of farmland have been damaged in 18 districts.
The minister highlighted that 1,948 villages across 22 districts have suffered the impact of the floods, affecting nearly 3,84,322 people. Relief and rescue operations continue on the ground to ensure that families do not face hardships, he added.
Teams from the Centre are also carrying out assessments in flood-hit areas of Punjab. These delegations, comprising senior officials from key departments such as agriculture, rural development, energy, finance, roads, and jal shakti, are tasked with evaluating the magnitude of losses before submitting a detailed report to the Union government.
On Friday, one such central team inspected flood-affected localities in Sultanpur Lodhi, Kapurthala district. Traveling by boat, the members engaged with affected families in Baupur and Sangra villages and examined the government school at Baupur. Kapurthala Deputy Commissioner Amit Kumar Panchal briefed the delegation on the damages suffered in the region. Later, the team convened with district officials at the Kapurthala rest house, receiving further inputs from departments including electricity, revenue, animal husbandry, education, and agriculture.
Simultaneously, another central team visited flood-hit villages in Ferozepur district. Officials interacted with local residents and district authorities, conducted ground inspections, and assessed agricultural losses, infrastructure damage, and the overall relief measures underway.
In addition to central teams, several state ministers also toured the flood-affected zones. According to an official release, the Punjab government has introduced specific initiatives to safeguard vulnerable sections, particularly the elderly, during the crisis. Social Security, Women and Child Development Minister Baljit Kaur revealed that 479 senior citizens have been identified in affected areas. With assistance from district administrations and the Red Cross Society, support is being extended to these individuals. She added that old-age homes in Punjab currently have space to accommodate approximately 700 people, ensuring that any elderly resident in need of shelter can be accommodated.
Meanwhile, Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains took swift measures to save the historic Lakshmi Narayan temple in Nangal, which sustained partial damage due to the heavy currents of the Sutlej river. Joined by local youth, volunteers, and officials, Bains has been personally monitoring reinforcement efforts to protect the temple structure. He confirmed that a proposal of ₹1.27 crore has been made for permanent strengthening of the premises through the Nagar Council, Nangal.
“We are committed to protecting our cultural and religious heritage from the disaster and supporting those affected by the deluge. With collective efforts, we will overcome this challenge and restore normalcy,” said Bains, who has been actively supervising relief and rescue operations across villages and towns in the Sri Anandpur Sahib constituency.
