Punjab: After the release of water from the Ropar Headworks in the Sutlej river, the Punjab government has sounded a precautionary alert in the areas nearby the river in Ludhiana on Sunday.
"Two lakh cusec of water has been released from the Ropar Headworks which takes about five to six hours to reach Ludhiana. Though the situation is under control, a precautionary alert has been sounded in few areas around Sutlej river," said the Deputy Commissioner Pradeep Agarwal.
The Commissioner further assured that the river can handle around three lakh cusec of water and there is no need to create panic in the area. Also, the teams are ready to combat any water-logging situation if the need occurs.
Scores of villages like Tindiwala, Kaluwala, Chandiwala, Kassoke, Kamalewala, Khunder Gatti, situated between the Zero Line and the right flank of Dhussi "bundh", face the nightmare of floods what they have seen almost every year.
The only mode of transportation available for some of these villagers are wooden 'bera's' (indigenously-built boat) which ferries them to the mainland.
However, when the river is in full spate, they remain trapped inside their "kuchha" houses as even the 'bera' no longer remains an option.
Only the children, sometimes use these boats to attend schools.
Malkit and four other students Gurpreet, Aman, Balwinder and Kulwinder, from Kaluwala, go to the nearest government school in Gatti Rajoke using the boat daily.
"Almost every second year, the river water inundates our dwellings," said Mangal Singh of Chinniwala village, adding that during the last five years, his fields have been flooded by Sutlej thrice.
"Every year the same story is repeated but nothing has changed here on the ground," he said. Hundreds like him including Darshan Singh, Gurmit, Sukhbir and others, all doing farming in this area, echo his sentiments.
Apart from the flood woes, the villagers do not have access to basic amenities like education, healthcare, potable water, sewerage or proper roads.
"We have got used to floods now," said Shingar Singh, adding that our fields get inundated almost every alternate year when excess water is released from the dams.
"After moving from pillar to post, we got a meagre compensation against the damaged caused to our crops," said Kulwinder, another farmer.
"It is difficult to get married or get our children married," said Chanan Singh, adding, people from other parts of the state are not willing to get their son or daughter married in our villages due to the fear of floods or war.
"People think that their daughter will have to go through immense hardships if she comes and settles here," said Bohar Singh, who is looking for a suitable match for his son who is well past marriageable age now. Even the girls from this border area find it difficult to find a suitable groom.
"Now we have started losing hope. The frequent flooding of our fields has shattered our economy," said Maggar. "Working in fields under hawk eyes of gun-totting BSF sleuths, we do not have enough resources or skills to go and settle elsewhere but do not want our children to settle here now," he said.
"The government had promised us that we will be made the owner of the land but nothing has been done yet," said Desha Singh, his moist eyes looking towards the flooded fields. The political leaders come only during the polls, however, "we are left to fend for ourselves for rest of the time", said Lakha, adding that even the DCs and SSPs never turn up in these areas.
Border district Ferozepur is among other areas which are hit by a flood in Punjab, submerging around 400 villages.
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