CHIEF MINISTER’S OFFICE, PUNJAB

CAPT AMARINDER ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL RELIEF & REHABILITATION MEASURES FOR FLOOD-HIT

· ORDERS REPAIRS ON PRIORITY, SUPPLY OF FOOD & MEDICINES TO AFFECTED FAMILIES AND LIVESTOCK

Chandigarh, August 26: Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Monday ordered a slew of additional measures for the relief and rehabilitation of the flood victims in various parts of the state, including supply of free high quality wheat seeds to farmers for the upcoming Rabi season.

Reviewing the post flood Action Plan (AP) for the state, the Chief Minister asked the Additional Chief Secretary (Development) to ensure timely supply of wheat seeds to the flood affected farmers, who have already suffered huge losses as a result of damage to crops due to inundation of their fields in flood water.

The Chief Minister also asked the Cooperation Department to convert the short term loans of the flood affected farmers into medium term loans. He has directed the Registrar Cooperative Societies to advance fresh crop loan limits to such farmers to enable them to cultivate the Rabi crop.

Taking note of the damage to the rural rink roads and other marketing infrastructure, he has directed the Mandi Board to take on repair work on war footing as the water recedes.

Captain Amarinder has once again asked the Powercom to move expeditiously for the restoration of power supply in the flood ravaged villages. The PSPCL chairman has been asked to further intensify their efforts by employing special teams of engineers to complete the power restoration work.

Amid fear of outbreak of water-borne epidemics in the wake of the floods, the Chief Minister has ordered the Principal Secretary Health to take effective measures to check the outbreak of diseases like diarrhoea, cholera, enteric fever, jaundice etc. as well as vector borne diseases like malaria, chikungunya, dengue etc. He has also asked the Health department to ensure fogging of the flooded areas to prevent the breeding of mosquitoes.

The Principal Secretary Food & Civil Supplies has been directed to ensure adequate supply of ration and drinking water to the affected families.

The Animal Husbandry Department has also made elaborate arrangements to tackle disease among cattle. Nearly 150 special veterinary teams had been deputed to provide veterinary health care to around 61,000 cattle affected by recent floods in 225 villages of nine districts across the state. Special veterinary teams are working round the clock to provide medicines and vaccination to the livestock affected by the floods in the villages of Jalandhar, Moga, Ludhiana, Ferozepur, SBS Nagar, Ropar, Fazilka, Tarn Taran and Kapurthala.

Nearly 1800 quintals of feed, along with 50 trolleys of fodder, have been supplied for cattle in the flood hit villages with the help of the district administration and social & voluntary organizations.

The Animal Husbandry department has sought financial assistance of Rs. 22.11 crore for requisite medicines, feed, fodder and silage, including Rs. 91 lakh for giving compensation to the livestock owners on account of dead animals. As per reports, 125 large animals (cows/buffaloes) and 8,000 poultry birds have been reported to have died in the wake of the floods.