Flood threat looms over villages near Sutlej, Beas
RISK FACTOR More than 11,000 acres were inundated after rivers’ water level rose in 2016
TARNTARAN: Owing to the monsoons, water level in Sutlej and Beas rivers has increased, leading to flood threat looming over farm sin M and and other areas in border district.
Beas and Sutlej share its 86 km long tributaries in the district. There are five Dhusi Bandhs; Vaironwal, Goindwal Sahib, Harike Pattan (downstream), Patti, Bhail Dhai Wala across the rivers.
The farmers whose lands are in low lying areas suffer every year due to monsoons. As per information, in 2016 the flood due to increased water levels inundated around 11,000 acre of crops, here.
Deputy commissioner Pardeep Kumar Sabarwal said, “We have completed all the preventive measures to tackle flood in the district.”
“Officers of different departments have been instructed to not leave their stations during the season,” he said.
Sabarwal said,“I and my team have visited all vulnerable
The district administration officers only visit us in monsoon but no one comes back later. PARAMJIT SINGH, sarpanch
areas.” Munda Pind, Gharka, Vaironwal, Goindwal, Kot Budha, Bhauwal, Sabran, Jalloke, Mutheyawala, Bandala, Seeto, Jhugian are among a dozen vulnerable villages here. However the villagers have alleged that despite repeated requests, no steady measures have been taken to save their crops and houses from flood.
“The district administration officers only visit us in monsoon season but no one comes back afterwards. They only make false promises of constructing new bandhs and roads,” said sarpanch Munda Pind, Paramjit Singh .“Concrete measures must be taken besides constructing the new Dhusi Bandh and roads in low lying areas,” he said.
Sources from irrigation department also confirmed that the administration had sent a proposal of₹ 2 crore for the repair works at Dhusi bandh, this year, but the government still has not released any money.
The department demanded ₹8 crore from the government in last five years for flood control measures but received only ₹4.5 crore.