Ludhiana, August 18 (000)-Keeping in the view of heavy rains in the state and high alert issued by the Punjab Government, Cabinet Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department Bharat Bhushan Ashu and Deputy Commissioner Mr Pradeep Kumar Agrawal visited the adjoining areas of the Sutlej today to review the preventive measures. By the time the news was written, the situation in district Ludhiana was a bit stressful but completely under control.
During the visit of several areas of the Sutlej River, Mr Ashu instructed the authorities to take immediate action on anything reported by the local people regarding any breach or flow of water. Expressing complete satisfaction over the flood prevention arrangements, he advised officers to remain in the field and monitor the situation personally.
He said that the situation of Ludhiana was good as compared to other districts, so there was no need for evacuation of any village. At this time, he was accompanied by MLA Mr Sanjay Talwar, Mayor Municipal Corporation Ludhiana Mr Balkar Singh Sandhu, Commissioner Mrs Kanwal Preet Kaur Brar, S. D. M. Ludhiana (West) Amarinder Singh Malhi and other officials were also present.
Subsequently, Deputy Commissioner Mr Agrawal held a meeting with the senior officers at the Bachat Bhawan here. He said that the negligence shown by any officer or employee would not be tolerated at all in the prevention of floods and any emergency.
He said that the Meteorological Department has issued a warning that heavy rains are likely in many parts of Punjab over the next few days. All departmental officers/employees would not leave the headquarters without prior approval until further orders and would also keep their mobile phones open for 24 hours. All Sub-Divisional Magistrates/Tehsildars/DROs to ensure that the flood control rooms set up in the tehsil headquarters are functioning properly. Besides, it should be ensured that the control room numbers are turned on and the employees whose duty has been taken will be present on time and give full duty.
The Executive Engineer, Drainage, Ludhiana, was instructed to take special care of the 27 points checked during the flood inspection and if any immediate action was required while looking at the flood. The Sutlej River will be monitored for 24 hours. Besides, the Sub Divisional Magistrate/Tehsildars/Naib Tehsildars were instructed to visit 27 points in their respective constituencies and report on the action taken.
He said that the irrigation department would ensure that the distributaries should be cleaned so that there was no damage to crops during floods. Municipal Corporation and local bodies officials instructed to get ready to drain out the area where heavy rains would get water. All Tehsildars/BDPOs have been directed to instruct Patwari/Panchayat Secretaries to remain present in their respective areas.
He directed the concerned departments to prepare the list of machinery in advance and coordinate with the concerned departments. All these SDMs/Tehsildars/Police Officials were instructed to ensure that their communication system was maintained so that people could be coordinated when needed.
He also appealed to the people not to believe the rumours. SSP Ludhiana (Rural) Mr Sandeep Goel, SSP Khanna Mr Gursharanjit Singh Grewal, Iqbal Singh Sandhu, Mr Jaspal Singh Gill and Mrs Neeru Katyal Gupta (Trio Additional Deputy Commissioners) and other officers were also present in the meeting.
