Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): The Punjab Government declared the entire state as “disaster-affected” after relentless floods left behind large-scale destruction across all 23 districts.
Heavy monsoon rains and the release of excess water from dams have inundated over 1,200 villages, submerging vast stretches of farmland and damaging homes and infrastructure. Nearly 3.75 lakh acres of paddy fields are still under water, threatening a massive crop loss ahead of harvest season. Livestock casualties have also been reported, posing a severe blow to rural households that rely on animal husbandry and dairy for livelihood.
Chief Secretary K.A.P. Sinha, who heads the State Executive Committee on disaster management, issued urgent directives to district authorities to step up relief measures. Officials have been told to ensure food, medicines, and shelter for affected families, while departments such as Public Works, Water Resources, and Power Utilities have been placed on high alert.
The state government has also instructed telecom providers to restore communication networks swiftly and directed local bodies, including panchayats, to extend full support in evacuation and rehabilitation efforts.
Authorities have cautioned that with more heavy rainfall predicted, the crisis could deepen further. Relief and rescue teams, including state agencies, remain deployed round-the-clock in the flood-hit areas.
