CS holds video conference to review flood protection measures

Chandigarh, May 28 (UNI) The Punjab Government today directed Deputy Commissioners to take adequate flood protection measures during the ensuing south-west monsoon to minimise losses due to floods.

The direction was issued by State Chief Secretary R I Singh while presiding over a video conference with the Deputy Commissioners to review the status of flood protection measures to be taken all over the state here.

Mr Singh said out of the 20 districts of the state, six districts Ferozpur, Gurdaspur, Patiala, Sangrur, Mansa and Ropar were prone to floods and added necessary measures were needed to be taken to mitigate the impact of natural calamities.

He identified the priority flood protection works like erection of bunds, studs, spurs and strengthening of banks of river beds, canals and desilting of river beds and drains etc.

He said the state government would provide necessary funds as per the requirement of the district administration at the earliest and on priority. He asked the deputy commissioners to immediately identify flood prone districts and villages and take stock of the expected emergent situations during monsoons.

There should not be any shortage of rescue and evacuation equipment, said Mr Singh. District control rooms should be activated and equipped properly to disseminate timely warning and to supply necessary information to the high-ups, he added.

Mr Singh asked the Deputy Commissioners of Patiala, Barnala, and Sangrur to take special care of the villages around ghaggar which were flood prone and suffer considerable damage during the monsoons.

Mrs Romila Dubey, Financial Commissioner Revenue, Mr Suresh Kumar, Principal Secretary Irrigation and Power, Mr Subodh Aggarwal, Financial Commissioner Animal Husbandry, Mr D S Jaspal, Principal Secretary Transport and Information Public Relations, Mr P S Aujla, Secretary, Water Supply and Sanitation, Mr Tejvir Singh, Deputy Commissioner, Amritsar and Mr Dharamjit Singh Grewal, Deputy Commissioner, Patiala, were present along with the Chief Secretary in the conference while the deputy commissioners of Barnala, Mansa, Faridkot, Ferozpur, Gurdaspur and Ropar were present at the other end during the video conference.

UNI VKJ SY BST1956