Ghaggar fury in Punjab: 2 more breaches worsen flood situation in Mansa
Flood situation worsened with two more breaches in the overflowing Ghaggar in Mansa district on Monday. With this, flood waters started entering villages in the district from four breaches, triggering panic
Mansa : Flood situation worsened with two more breaches in the overflowing Ghaggar in Mansa district on Monday. With this, flood waters started entering villages in the district from four breaches, triggering panic.
On Monday, two fresh breaches occurred at Jhande Khurd village and Rorki village in Sardulgarh sub-division. On Saturday, the Ghaggar river embankments at Rorki village and near Chandpura bundh in Budhlada sub-division breached and gave way on the Punjab side. Now, there are two fresh breaches at Rorki village.
The authorities are yet to plug the Chandpura bundh breach as water levels are continuously rising. Chandpura Bundh breach is around 100-foot wide, say officials.
The water in Ghaggar is flowing at 24.6 feet, 3.6 feet over the danger mark. The water level is increasing continuously as it was at 23 feet on Sunday. An irrigation department official said rising water levels may unleash destruction in Punjab and Haryana villages.
An army unit has been deployed to plug the breaches. Army and district administration officials are holding meetings and reviewing the situation. But so far, there has been no development as flow of river water is strong and the plugging process could not be started, said an official familiar with the development.
Army officials have sought machines and equipment to control the strong flow of water to start the plugging process.
So far, flood water has entered 17 villages of Budhladha, Jhunir and Sardulgarh blocks in Mansa district and six villages have already been inundated. People of the affected villages were shifted to relief camps on Monday.
Sardulgarh sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Amrinder Singh Malhi said there has been two more breaches in Sardulgarh sub-division at Jhande Khurd and Rorki villages. “Now, there are three breaches in the sub-division and floodwater has entered five villages. As of now, the flow of water is strong and these breaches cannot be plugged,” he added.
Mansa deputy commissioner Rishi Pal Singh said that with two more breaches, there are four active breaches in the district now. “Army is bringing more equipment to plug the breaches. We hope the breaches will be plugged soon. The plugging work will be started at Chandpura Bundh breach first. The work is likely to be completed by the morning,” he said.
Both Punjab and Haryana government officials are monitoring the situation at Chandpura bundh on the inter-state border.
