03092025-ATR-01.qxd 9/2/2025 10:58 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY TRACTORS, TROLLEYS SERVE AS RESCUE VEHICLES IN FLOODS DEF APPEALS TO CENTRE, STATE GOVT FOR AID LIFE OUT OF GEAR IN PUNJAB: CELEBS STAND IN SOLIDARITY These vehicles have become essential in ferrying people, livestock and relief supplies where no other transport can reach. P2 The DEF sent a memorandum to the state government asking it to address the flood-related problems of people. P2 In the face of devastation across Punjab and northern India, a wave of solidarity and action has emerged. P4 » » » MAX 27°C | MIN 24°C YESTERDAY MAX 26°C | MIN 22°C SUNSET WEDNESDAY 6.51 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 6.07 AM WEDNESDAY | 3 SEPTEMBER 2025 | AMRITSAR Punjab Governor visits Harike headworks, reviews flood situation, convenes meeting Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, September 2 Governor of Punjab Gulab Chand Kataria visited the Harike head-works on Tuesday to take stock of the floodaffected areas and called upon officials to cooperate with each other to minimise losses at the time of this natural calamity. Harike is the point where there is a confluence of the rivers Beas and Sutlej. The Governor addressed a meeting of civil, police and BSF officials at the local District Administrative Complex and stressed on minimising losses incurred at the time of mishap. Cabinet Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar too was present in the meeting. The Governor was accompanied by Deputy Commissioner Rahul, Senior Superintendent of Police Deepak Pareek and other officials. Deputy Commissioner Rahul informed the Governor about the release of river water downstream of Harike head-works. The villages downstream of Harike are among the 12-yr-old girl killed as roof collapses in Baba Bakala Tribune News Service Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria during his visit to the Harike waterworks on Tuesday. worst affected and there was heavy erosion on the banks of the Sutlej. Deputy Commissioner Rahul informed the Governor and said that there were a total of 66 villages that were affected by the floods. About 28,000 acres of crop had been submerged and 21 relief camps have been set up to be used in time of need, the DC said. The Governor was also informed that the administration has procured jumbo bags, boats, ration and other items to be used when needed. The Governor stressed on making all efforts to minimise the loss of human lives and livestock. The Governor also stressed on strengthening the embankments at weak pints. The DC said that with the cooperation of the residents of the area, farmers, NREGA workers and followers of religious sects, the strengthening of embankments was going on. Amritsar, September 2 A 12-year-old girl was killed and other members of the family were injured when the roof of their house collapsed during heavy rain at Sathiala village in Baba Bakala here early this morning. Rajwinder Singh, owner of the house, said the family was asleep when the wall collapsed and his 12-year-old daughter lost her life. The incident happened as heavy rain lashed overnight across Amritsar and Gurdaspur. Baba Bakala MLA Dalbir Singh Tong reached Sub Divisional Hospital to meet the bereaved family. While talking to the injured, he assured that the government is with them in this hour of grief. He said the death of the girl can never be compensated, but the AAP-led state government will provide them with all kinds of financial The damaged portion of the room in which the victim was asleep in Baba Bakala. assistance. MLA Tong appealed to the people to remain alert in view of continuous rain and avoid going to low-lying areas. He said this is a natural disaster, but their government is making all arrangements to deal with this natural disaster and all possible assistance is being provided to the floodaffected families. Technical teams formed to check MP Aujla writes to PM Modi, demands relief package structural damage in villages: DC Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 2 Deputy Commissioner-cumDistrict Magistrate Sakshi Sawhney on Tuesday said as the water level has receded at some places in flood-affected villages in Ajnala constituency, houses and government buildings in those villages are to be inspected for any structural damage. The DC announced that teams will be constituted for any risk evaluation and assessment of structural damage to these homes before the inhabitants are sent back to their respective homes. “It is significant to do so that any risks can be identified and those buildings can be repaired to avoid any mishaps or accidents later,” she said. She directed the engineers of the Public Works Department to immediately form technical teams so that any unfortunate incident due to weak or broken/damaged structures can be prevented in the aftermath of floods. The DC also directed that action in this regard should be taken on a priority basis and a report submitted to this office. Giving more information in this regard, Sawhney said in view of the decline in the water level in the flood-affected villages, the safety and structural stability of residential/government, school buildings, government hospitals have to be ensured. She said immediate action should be taken to repair the buildings which have suffered major damage and which are to be repaired. Meanwhile, DEO Rajesh Sharma said all officials are on ground, keeping in view that schools are still closed and it is likely that school holidays will be extended. “The situation on ground is still quite grim and the rain continues. We are keeping a close check on the situation, most likely the schools would remain closed as flood waters are still at dangerous levels,” he said. Meanwhile, DEO is considering that once schools reopen, students from flood affected areas can attend classes at nearest schools wherever they are placed after evacuation. Several families have sought shelter at their relatives homes after being evacuated from affected areas and given the large scale destruction, it will take several days for local schools to reopen and function in full capacity. The District Education office is also taking a strict note of any violations by schools regarding closing offline classes as ordered by Education Minister Harjot Bains. “Until further notice, all schools are to remain closed till September 3. We have issued violation notices to three to four private schools,” said Rajesh Sharma. Amritsar, September 2 Lok Sabha MP from Amritsar and senior Congress leader Gurjeet Singh Aujla has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the unprecedented floods in Punjab. Describing the seriousness of the situation in the letter, Aujla said Punjab, especially Amritsar border areas, is facing largescale devastation. “Continuous torrential rains and fast water from mountainous areas have submerged lowlying areas, leaving thousands of families homeless and destroying the standing crops of farmers,” he states in the letter. MP Aujla has expressed displeasure in the letter that his earlier appeals were ignored. He wrote: “I want to say with controlled anger and extreme disappointment that my appeals were ignored. Punjab is in crisis and silence cannot be tolerated anymore.” He MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla during a visit to a flood-affected area in Amritsar on Tuesday. urged the Prime Minister to personally visit Punjab and send a high-level team from the Centre immediately so that the real situation can be assessed. Aujla said the deployment of NDRF teams alone will not solve the prob- lem, but there is an urgent need for a special relief package so that the affected families can get help and Punjab can move forward towards reconstruction. In the letter, Aujla also wrote that the importance of 60-odd two-wheelers of farmers buried 6-8 ft deep in sludge Ravi Dhaliwal Tribune News Service Gurdaspur, September 2 The perennially debt-ridden residents hailing from the cluster of seven ‘Us-Paar’ villages, located across the Ravi river, suffered another setback when they woke up to find more than 60 of their twowheelers buried 6-8 feet under the sludge and silt of the river. The area adjoins Pakistan. The fury of the floods was the worst in this cluster in the entire district of Gurdaspur. Locals have now formed teams, which have started digging at various places, in an attempt to trace more such bikes and scooters. A pick-up van, too, has gone missing. These were parked at Makoran Pattan village on one side and the edge of the ‘Us-Paar’ cluster on the other. In-between flows the Ravi. Today morning, Harvinder Singh of Lasian village went to the site where he had left his motorcycle when he spotted the first signs of the flood, Villagers dig the ground to retrieve bikes and scooters buried in sludge. five days ago. Notwithstanding repeated efforts, he could not locate it. It seemed it had simply vanished into thin air. However, he started digging through the mud. After five hours of struggle, his hands touched a metal piece. The poor man’s heart sank c m y b when he identified the piece of the metal as a part of his motorcycle. This caused him deep anguish because his bike, taken on loan, was a repository of memories, emotions and connection to people and places. The bike also held immense sentimental value because his late mother was willing to pawn her gold anklets for him to buy the machine. That was before a money lender gave him money at an exorbitant rate of interest. “I am feeling empty, hopeless and am in mourning,” he said. Harvinder is not alone. All other owners are under debt and are now devastated. They have taken substantial cash-credit limits from banks. Besides, they have availed loans to buy tractors, implements and milch cattle. They are already in the deadly grip of Ahartiyas (money-lenders), having taken money at 24 percent interest per annum. “If I default on my bankpayment, my CIBIL (creditscore) score will fall drastically. This means misery for me and my family. We, villagers, live on mortgages, advances and credit. If we do not avail a loan for our next crop, we will not be able to survive. Already, my three acres of paddy crop has been flattened. All my cattle have died. And now my motorcycle, too, has died,” said Lakhwinder Singh of Rajpur Chebe village. Amrik Singh, sarpanch of Bharial village, is fortunate. He spotted the handle of his bike and pulled it out of the mud and slush. However, Dalwinder Singh of Lassian village, who drives a pickup van, is crestfallen. Despite repeated efforts by several people, he has yet to trace his van. While locals have started digging, people who cannot find their bikes surround them to see if their bike comes out of the mud or not. Amritsar is not limited to being just a border district, but it is also an important centre of food security and grain storage of the country. “The devastation caused by the floods has caused huge losses to farmers and this sit- uation can affect the food supply of the entire country,” he said. The MP also described this crisis as very important from the national security and strategic point of view. He said Amritsar has always stood at the forefront for the security of India. “But today when Punjab is facing a huge disaster like floods, the silence of the Centre is unacceptable. It is unacceptable that the border that protects India is left alone in these difficult times,” he wrote. Aujla demanded immediate presence and concrete steps from the Prime Minister. Meanwhile, MP Aujla is constantly visiting the flood affected areas and distributing relief material by forming his own teams. He said he is trying to provide relief to people from his “Daswand” (10% of one’s earnings) and will continue to try for the rehabilitation of the affected people even after the water recedes. Helpline to provide mental health support to flood-hit children Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 2 District Child Protection Officer, Amritsar, Taranjit Singh has said that in the current flood situation in the district, children in flood-affected areas may be in any need or aid and for the same, the District Child Protection Office (DCPO) has announced helpline number 1098. He said anyone can help orphaned/helpless unclaimed children by calling on the helpline and informing the district child protection authorities. Making an appeal, he said, “If you have any information regarding any child orphaned or without their family or in need of any help or aid, please contact the 1098 Child Helpline number and the District Child Protection Unit. One can visit Room No.238 at the DC Complex as well. Children in need, children trapped in flood-hit areas, are being provided for by the unit.” He said the Child Care Institutions (CCIs) have been alerted and asked to admit children in need of care. “They should be provided with psychological and special care for which arrangements will also be made for social care,” he said. The District Child Protection Officer, Amritsar, can be contacted at 98763-57202 and the Child Helpline number at 1098.