By IANS,
Ludhiana : A central government team that arrived here Sunday to assess the damage by floods in some districts of Punjab has asked the state government to submit a detailed project report on strengthening `dhussi bandhs’ (soil embankments) along major rivers to prevent floods in future.
The team, headed by Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) joint secretary Prabhanshu Kamal and other officials, inspected the flood affected areas of Ferozepur district, caused by breaches in the embankment of Sutlej river.
A team member told reporters that Punjab already has over Rs.16.4 billion under calamity relief fund (CRF) sanctioned by the central government and could compensate the affected people and take up repair and relief work.
The member said the damage to standing crops and property was assessed and a report to the central government would be submitted within two days.
Punjab Irrigation Minister Janmeja Singh Sekhon, who accompanied the team, said 134 villages were flooded and 55,000 people were affected by floods in Ferozepur district.
He said that 6,320 people were rescued through motor boats and sent to relief camps. He added that 11,080 hectares of standing crops were damaged and the total damage to crops and houses in Ferozepur district was estimated at over Rs.1.9 billion.
Sekhon demanded that the farmers’ losses should be paid by the central government as over 60 percent of food grain were contributed to the central pool by the Punjab farmers.