AMN
The flood situation in Punjab continued to be worsen due to water being released from various dams in the State. About two lakh 82 thousand 875 cusecs of water was released yesterday from Hussainiwala headworks that has inundated several low-lying areas in Ferozepur and Fazilka districts.
Several BSF outposts and the barbed wire fencing along the India-Pakistan border have been inundated in Punjab’s Ferozepur district due to a rise in the Sutlej’s water level, an official said on Sunday.
Border Security Force (BSF) troops are keeping a close watch on the situation, the official said.
Many villages near the International Border in Ferozepur bore the brunt of the swollen Sutlej, forcing residents of flood-hit areas to move to safer locations.
According to the official, “Despite all the challenges and adversity, our jawans are maintaining 24-hour vigil. They are manning the area without caring about their personal safety.”
“Surveillance has been heightened with the help of motorboats to prevent potential adversaries from exploiting the situation. Though the BSF posts have been submerged, personnel are performing their duty without any breaks,” the official added.
Though the Sutlej has in past also affected this region, the problem has assumed alarming proportion this year, reminding many villagers of the 1988 floods when the entire region had got submerged following a breach in a dhussi bundh.
The district administration continued rescue operations with the help of two teams of the NDRF, several columns of the Army, the BSF and the police. They have evacuated more than 2,500 villagers till now. The worst-affected villages are Kamale Wala, Alike, Gatti Raji Ke, Chandi Wala, Jhugge Hajara Singh Wala, Jallo Ke, Bhane Wala, Bhakhra, Tendi Wala, Metab Singh, Sheene Wala, Churi Wala, Khunder Gatti, New Bare Ke, Peer Ismail Khan, Machhiwara. These villages have been submerged for the past two days.