Punjab is battling severe floods that have affected 1,312 villages across multiple districts. Large tracts of farmland remain submerged and thousands of people have been displaced. The government has extended holidays in all schools till September 3.

Floodwaters have impacted several districts, including Amritsar, Pathankot, Kapurthala, Ferozepur, Fazilka and Gurdaspur. In Ferozepur alone, 107 villages and nearly 45,000 people are affected. Pathankot also witnessed breaches in the Ravi river embankment, damaging nearby villages.

How many people have been evacuated?

According to Revenue Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian, 14,936 people have been evacuated to safer places. Of these, 6,582 are currently staying in 122 relief camps set up across the state.

What measures is the government taking?

Chief Secretary K A P Sinha has visited affected areas in Amritsar, Pathankot and Kapurthala. He assured residents that once the situation normalises, a special survey will be conducted and compensation given for every type of loss.

He also stressed that evacuation, ration supplies, livestock care and disease prevention are top priorities.

How are rescue operations being carried out?

A joint effort is underway involving the Army, NDRF, SDRF, Punjab Police, BSF and civil administration. Six NDRF teams are in Gurdaspur, while others are deployed in Amritsar, Pathankot, Ferozepur and Fazilka. Two SDRF teams are active in Kapurthala.

Boats are being used for evacuations โ€” 15 in Kapurthala, 12 in Ferozepur and four in Pathankot. In inaccessible areas, airlifting operations have also been carried out.

How many villages and people are affected overall?

Additional Chief Secretary Anurag Verma said nearly three lakh acres of land are under water and around 1.25 lakh people have been impacted across Punjab. The list of affected villages spans almost every district, with the highest numbers in Gurdaspur (324), Kapurthala (123), Ferozepur (107), Amritsar (93), Fazilka (92), Hoshiarpur (86) and Pathankot (81).

What is the government promising flood-hit families?

Sinha assured people in Kapurthalaโ€™s Baupur and Sangra that the government would seek a permanent solution to protect 16 villages of Baupur from future floods. He urged officials to treat relief work as a public service and prioritise saving lives and property.

Agencies