Monsoon: Officials Plan Relief Measures As Heavy Rain Disrupts Normal Life In Punjab And Haryana

Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann has asked cabinet members, Deputy Commissioners, Senior Superintendents of Police, and other authorities to visit the affected districts and offer them with the necessary help.

Representational Image. (File Photo)

Heavy monsoon rains in numerous regions of Punjab and Haryana on Sunday caused significant flooding in low-lying areas, leading officials to mobilise in the worst-affected districts, news agency PTI reported. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has asked cabinet members, Deputy Commissioners, Senior Superintendents of Police, and other authorities to visit the affected districts and offer them with the necessary help.

"It has been raining heavily in Punjab for the last 2 days, due to which people are facing difficulties in the low-lying areas and especially in the areas along the rivers...," CM Mann tweeted in Punjabi.

"...I have issued instructions to all my ministers, legislators and DCs and SSPs of all districts to go among the people...," he added in his tweet.

According to Punjab's Water Resources Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, the Water Resources Department has taken preparations in response to Mann's directions to deal with any unpleasant circumstance induced by heavy rainfall.

According to Hayer, a flood control room has been constructed at the headquarters level, and field personnel have been dispatched.

Three rivers in Haryana's Ambala district, the Markanda, Ghaggar, and Tangri, were nearing danger levels.

Several residents near the Tangri bank in Ambala Cantonment have been advised to relocate to safer areas, according to officials.

According to authorities, 1.45 million cubic feet of water were discharged from the Ropar headworks in Punjab, and the floodgates were opened. Due to heavy rainfall in the catchment areas of Sukhna Lake, two floodgates were opened, PTI reported.

On Sunday, the water level of the Ghaggar River and its tributaries climbed as well.

Heavy rains pummelling Panchkula, Yamunanagar, Ambala, Karnal, Kurukshetra, and Sonipat among other locations in Haryana for the second day in a row, while Fatehgarh Sahib, Mohali, Rupnagar, and Patiala in Punjab also had heavy showers, according to a Met official here.

The severe monsoon rains caused traffic jams on important route segments in both states, causing aircraft delays.

Patiala Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney, who is carefully monitoring the situation with authorities, issued evacuation orders for families residing in houses near Badi Nadi at Arai Majra in Patiala district on Sunday.

Water spilled into residences in certain areas of Punjab and Haryana, causing discomfort to residents. Rainwater penetrated multiple stalls at the wholesale fabric market in Ambala, Haryana.

Heavy rain drenched the ground level of a multi-story apartment complex in Punjab's Derabassi, submerging the automobiles in the parking lot. Because the roadway had flooded, officials had to use boats to remove some of the complex's occupants.

Deputy Commissioner Aashika Jain chaired a meeting in Mohali on Sunday and toured the Derabassi and Kharar sub-divisions, instructing staff to ensure foolproof arrangements.

During a high-level meeting to examine Mohali's relief and dewatering activities, Jain directed authorities to respond to distress calls quickly and expedite de-watering in urban and rural regions to guarantee a smooth flow of stormwater.

She warned those staying with Ghaggar and Sukhna Choe to remain watchful in the face of rising water levels.

"We are roping in six NDRF teams as a preventive measure to reduce the action time. They will be stationed at Mohali and other sub-divisions and one at Derabassi's Tiwana point of Ghaggar river embankment," the Mohali DC was quoted by PTI in its report.

She further stated that buses have been stationed and kept available at sub-divisional headquarters for quick deployment, and that medical and animal husbandry teams have been requested to remain vigilant.

"Water has been released from Ropar Headworks which will be reaching Ludhiana Satluj by about noon. The nearby panchayats are advised to stay on alert and that no one should go near the embankments," said a statement issued by the Ludhiana district administration.

Because to the increasing flow in the Budhha Dariya stream, the watch has been strengthened, particularly in low-lying regions and residences or slums on its banks, according to Ludhiana officials.

For the second day in a row, torrential rain fell in Chandigarh, the joint capital of the two states.

According to meteorological statistics, Chandigarh had 302.2 mm of rain in the previous 24 hours until 8.30 a.m. on Sunday.

Following the showers, the lowest temperature in the two states and Chandigarh has fallen a few degrees.

More rain is expected in portions of Haryana and Punjab through Sunday evening, according to the MeT.