Patiala District Alert: Rising Flood Risks from Ghaggar River

The district administration of Patiala has raised an alert for multiple low-lying villages situated near the Ghaggar river due to heavy rainfall in the region's catchment area.

Rajpura Sub-Divisional Magistrate Avikesh Gupta has advised residents of Untsar, Nannheri, Sanjarpur, Lachhru, Kamalpur, Rampur, Saunta, Maru, and Chamru to remain vigilant and avoid the riverbanks during this period of heightened flood risk. The Rajpura Flood Control Room is operational and can be reached at 01762-224132 for assistance.

The entire state of Punjab is currently grappling with its most severe floods since 1988, with major rivers like the Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi, alongside various rivulets, flooding large areas of farmland and villages.

These rivers are overflowing due to relentless rains in their catchment areas across Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. The worst-affected districts by the ongoing floods include Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Fazilka, Kapurthala, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Hoshiarpur, and Amritsar.

In response to the floods, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has instructed district authorities to ramp up relief and rescue efforts.

Mann is scheduled to lead a high-level meeting in Chandigarh on Friday to analyze the current situation and evaluate relief and rescue operations in the impacted regions.

Meanwhile, Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Dudhansadhan in Patiala, Kirpalveer Singh, has urged residents of the Bhasmra, Jalah Kheri, and Raju Kheri villages to remain alert.

Similarly, Patiala Sub-Divisional Magistrate Harjot Kaur Mavi has issued advisory warnings for the villages of Hadana, Pur, and Sirkapra. The Patiala District Control Room is also fully operational, and assistance can be sought through the phone numbers 0175-2350550 and 0175-2358550.

The district administration has stressed the importance of avoiding the spread of rumors and has asked residents to report any significant rise in water levels immediately.

Previously in 1993, Patiala experienced substantial flooding that severely affected Rajpura and Samana, displacing thousands. Heavy monsoon rains similarly caused devastating floods also earlier in 2023, leading to extensive damage to crops, homes, and infrastructure in several Patiala villages.

While officials assert that flood-control systems have improved, they emphasize that taking timely precautions is essential to mitigate losses in life and property.

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