Sutlej swells, Fazilka, Ferozepur villagers brace for more flooding
Focus shifts to preventing vector-borne diseases, medical teams distribute chlorine tablets, and ask villagers to seek help in case of illness
Rising Sutlej sparks fears of fresh inundation in Ferozepur and Fazilka districts as 23,000 cusecs of water was released from Harike Headworks on Tuesday.
Nearly 30 villages in Ferozepur district and around 20 in Fazilka remain marooned by water, and residents, fearing that the rising water will soon enter their houses, have started moving their valuables to safer places.
“On Thursday evening, 92,000 cusecs of water was released downstream from Harike Headworks, while Hussainiwala Headworks discharged nearly 86,000 cusecs. Yesterday, the discharge from Harike stood at 69,000 cusecs,” an official said on condition of anonymity.
According to officials, 20,000 cusecs of water is being channelled into canal systems from Harike Headworks.
“In the border belt, the river’s strong current near the Kaluwala village washed away swathes of farmland. “Multiple embankments near Nihala Kilcha have also been damaged,” officials said. To curb further erosion, the administration has deployed drainage officials, technical teams, and MGNREGA workers to strengthen embankments using sandbags along vulnerable stretches.
Medical and relief camps have also been established in affected villages, the officials added.
“Rising water is steadily eroding our fields, and if levels increase further, our farmland and crop will be completely destroyed,” lamented farmer Prakash Singh of Tandiwala.
Another villager, Gurmej Singh, blamed ‘sheer negligence’ by authorities, alleging that no inspections of riverbanks were conducted after the 2023 floods. “Broken bridges and damaged roads from last year remain unrepaired, leaving us exposed once again,” he said.
Meanwhile, in Dheera Ghara village, residents waded through waist-deep waters to collect essentials, many carrying food and household items on their heads. Local resident Balwinder Singh said his village was “completely submerged, crops destroyed, and fodder for cattle unavailable. The elderly and sick are suffering most, as medical aid cannot reach inside.”
Ferozepur deputy commissioner Deepshikha Sharma said that relief operations were being carried out promptly in all areas. “The situation is under control. We are continuously assessing the ground realities, and reports are being sought from the field to decide whether residents of low-lying areas need to be advised to shift to safer places,” she stated.
She further added that relief camps equipped with food, shelter, and medical aid are fully functional, while work on strengthening embankments and bunds is also in progress.
In Fazilka, the health department has set up medical camps and deployed National vector-borne disease control programme (NVBDCP) teams in villages Gulab Bhaini, Patan Post, and Rete Wali Bhaini. Officials conducted health checks and issued advisories to prevent infections during the floods.
Medical authorities appealed to villagers to boil or chlorinate drinking water. “Chlorine tablets are being distributed door-to-door free of cost, with instructions to add one tablet to 20 litres of water and consume it after 8 hours. People have been advised to wash their hands frequently, wear full-sleeved clothes to avoid infections from contaminated water and insect bites, and avoid entering standing water to prevent snake bites. In case of fever, diarrhoea, or suspected infections, residents have been urged to immediately consult government doctors,” the official said.
Water resources minister Barinder Kumar Goyal, during a visit to flood-affected villages Tendi Wala, Ghazni Wala, and Dheera Ghara in Ferozepur on Thursday, said that the state government has assigned the responsibility of flood relief monitoring to eight cabinet ministers, each tasked with overseeing different districts to ensure that no affected village is left unattended.
The minister stressed that the government’s top priority is to evacuate affected people to safer places while also ensuring healthcare, food supplies, and care for livestock.
Goyal was accompanied by Ferozepur Urban MLA Ranbir Singh Bhullar, Ferozepur Rural MLA Rajnish Kumar Dahiya, and Guruharsahai MLA Fauja Singh Sarari.
In Tarn Taran, Goyal, accompanied by minister Laljit Singh Bhullar, conducted an inspection of the critical Dhussi bundh on the Sutlej.
Earlier in the day, Goyal conducted a meeting at Husainiwala Headworks with Ferozepur DC Deepsikha Sharma, SSP Bhupinder Singh Sidhu, chief engineer (drainage) Hardeep Singh Mendiratta, and other senior officials to review relief operations and issue necessary directions.
