Hoshiarpur (Punjab), Aug 29 (PTI) Residents of Hoshiarpur's Mukerian sub-division, reeling from extensive damage caused by the swelling of Chakki Khad, a tributary of the Beas, on Friday urged authorities to immediately plug breaches in embankments to prevent further devastation as the Pong Dam continued to flow above the danger mark.
Officials said the dam's water level stood at 1,391.98 feet in the morning with an inflow of 53,000 cusecs and outflow of 1,00,614 cusecs. By evening, the level had climbed to 1,392.28 feet, still above the danger mark of 1,390 feet. The inflow had also risen to nearly 72,000 cusecs, while the outflow into the Shah Nehar Barrage touched around 1.10 lakh cusecs.
Deputy Commissioner Ashika Jain visited the Rara Mand area near the Beas river bridge and reviewed the strength of the guide bund constructed alongside it. She directed officials to ensure both the guide bund and the Dhussi bund were fortified to withstand the strong river current.
Jain said teams from multiple departments had been deployed to strengthen stretches where cracks or erosion were visible, while announcements were being made in villages through sarpanches and gurdwaras to keep residents alert.
The DC said the National Highways Authority of India, Drainage Department, Forest Department and other agencies had stationed round-the-clock monitoring teams at the Beas river bridge, guide bund and Dhussi bund, with Sub Divisional Magistrate, Tanda, Parampreet Singh supervising work on the ground.
Appealing to residents of vulnerable areas to move to relief camps, Jain assured them that arrangements had been made for food, medicines, mosquito repellents, soaps and fodder for cattle.
"We strongly appeal to people not to take any risk and to shift to relief centres so that lives can be protected," she said.
The number of flood-affected villages in the district had risen from 64 on Thursday to 86 on Friday — 31 in Mukerian, 20 in Dasuya and 25 in Tanda. A population of 1,158 people had been affected, of whom 1,052 have been evacuated. Twenty relief camps had been set up in the district, 12 of which were functional on Friday, housing 478 people.
Farmlands in several villages of Tanda and Mukerian have remained submerged for days, leaving standing paddy, sugarcane and other crops damaged. According to the district administration, 5,287 hectares of agricultural land has been hit by floods.
Mehtabpur sarpanch Manjinder Singh said nearly 2,200 acres of farmland in his village had been destroyed. Referring to two breaches that developed in the Dhussi bund near Mehtabpur earlier this week, he urged the administration to plug them at the earliest to protect the population.
Sulinder of Haler Janardhan village said while water had earlier receded from streets and houses, the rising level of the Beas river on Friday once again pushed water into their village, cutting off roads leading to Motla and Kolian.
He demanded a pucca embankment from Himachal Pradesh's Milwan village to Naushera Pattan to safeguard the area, saying the existing Dhussi bund was inadequate. "The new bund must be at least five feet higher and broader than the present one," he said.
David Masih of Kolian said knee-deep water was still present in their village on Friday evening, causing hardships to residents. The biggest concern, he added, was fodder for cattle. While some NGOs had stepped in occasionally, he urged the administration to ensure a regular supply.
Meanwhile, Jain said the administration stood firmly with the affected people, adding that all departments were working in coordination to carry out relief and rescue operations and that compensation would be provided after an immediate assessment of losses.