KS Diwan/ royalpatiala.in/ Chandigarh
Emphasizing the need to monitor the situation on a regular basis, the Chief Minister asked the senior officers of various departments and the Deputy Commissioners to liaison closely with the Financial Commissioner Revenue (FCR) to tide over the prevailing grim situation.
Chairing an emergency meeting here at his official residence, the Chief Minister has announced a special girdawari for assessing crop damage due to heavy rains over the past four days. He asked the FCR to issue detailed guidelines to the Deputy Commissioners for initiating the process of girdawari immediately after the water level recedes.
Expressing concern over the possible outbreak of water borne diseases including diarrhea, jaundice and conjunctivitis etc., Captain Amarinder Singh asked the Health department to take preventive measures by organizing special medical checkup camps and arranging sufficient stock of medicines in this behalf.
He also directed the Food & Civil Supplies and Animal Husbandry Ministers to appoint nodal officers for distribution of food packets to the affected people and dry fodder for the animals in view of the situation.
The Chief Minister also asked the FCR to seek any assistance from Army, BSF and NDRF and other paramilitary forces, if needed.
The FCR informed the Chief Minister that a contingency fund to the tune of Rs.7.40 crore has been placed at the disposal of Deputy Commissioners to get Flood Protection Works executed besides carrying out rescue operations.
Meanwhile, Principal Secretary Water Resources pointed out that the water level at Pong Dam was at present 1385.12 feet against the maximum level of 1390 feet, the level at Bhakhra was at 1655.49 feet against maximum capacity of 1680 feet and at Ranjit Sagar Dam which feeds river Ravi was 526.65 meter against the maximum level of 527.91 meter.
The DCs have been asked to identify hotspots with clear evacuation and relief plans ready before hand. Equipment to drain out flood waters had been kept handy. Apart from these, districts in catchment area of three rivers Satluj, Ravi and Beas had already arranged enough boats to rescue the affected people.
Prominent amongst others who were present in the meeting included; Health & Family Welfare Minister Brahm Mohindra, Revenue & Water Resources Minister Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria, Animal Husbandry Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu, Food & Civil Supplies Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu, Media Advisor to CM Raveen Thukral, Chief Principal Secretary to CM Suresh Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) NS Kalsi, Financial Commissioner Revenue MP Singh, Additional Chief Secretary Health & Family Welfare Satish Chandra, Additional Chief Secretary Development Viswajeet Khanna, Principal Secretary to CM Tejveer Singh, Special Principal Secretary to CM Gurkirat Kirpal Singh, Principal Secretary Water Resources Jaspal Singh, Secretary Expenditure Raj Kamal Chaudhary and Director Food & Civil Supplies Anindita Mitra.
