Tanda (Hoshiarpur), September 1:

Asserting that Punjab is facing the worst floods in the recent history, the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Monday assured the people that the state government is with them in this hour of crisis and every effort will be made to bail them in this hour of crisis.

The Chief Minister, who undertook a whirlwind tour of the flood affected areas in Hoshiarpur, also interacted with the people in Shelter Home at Government Senior Secondary School Miani. During the interaction he said that natural fury has caused unprecedented damage across the state but the state government is carrying out massive operations for the rescue and relief of the flood affected people. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the state government has already taken several steps to give relief to the people in this unprecedented situation.

The Chief Minister said that the state government is committed for bailing out the people in the flood ravaged districts of the state adding that directions have been passed to evacuate the people in marooned areas and immediately provide relief to them. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that all the departments across the districts have been asked to work in unison to ensure that people get maximum relief in this hour of crisis. Asserting that the state government will compensate the people for the loss of every single penny incurred by the people, Bhagwant Singh Mann said that he is regularly monitoring the situation unfolding in the state due to the natural disaster.

The Chief Minister also visited Rara Bridge to take stock of the situation at ground level in the flood affected areas. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that he had already written a letter to the Prime Minister and urged him to release Rs 60,000 crore that was stuck with the Government of India. He said that the recent floods have impacted more than 1000 villages across the state and has affected lakhs of people.

The Chief Minister said that heavy monsoon rains, coupled with the release of waters from dams, have caused extensive flooding in more than 10 districts. He said that the situation is still evolving as there is a grave concern that conditions may further deteriorate in the coming days. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that at present, about three lakh acres of farmland, primarily paddy fields have submerged under floodwater, leading to devastating crop losses just weeks before harvest.

In addition, the Chief Minister said that there has been a widespread loss of livestock, which is severely impacting rural households whose livelihoods are heavily dependent on dairy and animal husbandry. He said that a strong multi-department workforce is already working round the clock, on the ground, to complete the relief and rescue work. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the breaches along the flooded rivers are being plugged and medical teams are being deployed to provide preventive care against diseases in every village.

The Chief Minister said that along with relief works, the teams are undertaking water sampling, outdoor and indoor spray, water chlorination, fever survey, card tests for timely detection of malaria and dengue, distribution of sanitary napkins and mosquito nets in coming times. He also said that the water supply and sanitation department is pressing in water tankers for providing clean and potable drinking water in the villages until the supply through water supply schemes is fully restored. Likewise, Bhagwant Singh Mann said that Water testing teams are being deployed to check water quality in all the villages to avoid any epidemic outbreak.

The Chief Minister said that besides water, dry ration kits, sugar, rice, wheat flour, ghee, milk powder are being provided to the people in marooned villages. He said that pumping operations are already in progress on a war footing adding that inundated villages are being cleared of water. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that medical relief is being provided to the affected people in relief camps, medical camps and even at their doorsteps.

Likewise, the Chief Minister said that Mobile Medical Units are being deployed in the villages to impart quality health facilities. He also said that Dedicated anti larva teams are also being deployed to detect dengue larva in flood-hit villages. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that special teams will be visiting villages to teach the people about measures to prevent diseases like malaria, dengue, diarrhoea, typhoid and skin problems, since community engagement is necessary to combat these diseases.

The Chief Minister further said that Veterinary teams will also be deployed in large numbers for the treatment and vaccination of the affected cattle, deworming of the animals and provision of feed/fodder. He said that a major sanitization drive is being launched in the villages and fogging teams will be deployed to check the spread of water borne diseases. Likewise, Bhagwant Singh Mann said that sanitary workers and MGNREGA workers will be assigned the task of professionally cleaning the villages.

The Chief Minister said that bleaching powder will be sprayed in the drains to ward off foul smell and prevent the outbreak of related diseases. He assured the people that the state government will leave no stone unturned to help the people in this hour of distress. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the fury of flood is an unforeseen natural calamity but the state government is fully capable of dealing with such a situation.

The Chief Minister was accompanied by Cabinet Minister Dr. Ravjot, Lok Sabha Member Dr. Raj Kumar Chabbewal and others.

Chandigarh/ Sri Anandpur Sahib, September 01

To tackle the flood-like situation in his constituency, Cabinet Minister Harjot Bains has personally taken charge of the relief efforts. He is leading the work of repairing breaches and erosion along river and canal embankments with the support of the administration, AAP volunteers, local residents, and social service groups. Mr. Bains himself is on the ground, supervising and participating in the rescue and relief operations.

      Early this morning, upon receiving information about a breach in the Nangal Hydel Channel canal near Jhinjri/Mehdwa, Cabinet Minister Harjot Singh Bains immediately reached the site with his colleagues. Senior officials including Deputy Commissioner Mr. Varjeet Walia, SSP Gulneet Singh Khurana, Additional Deputy Commissioner Chandarjyoti Singh, SDM Jaspreet Singh, DSP Ajay Singh, and officers of various departments also rushed to the spot. As news spread quickly on social media, AAP volunteers, local residents, and Baba Satnam Singh of Kila Anandgarh Sahib along with his team of volunteers also reached the site with JCB machines, tractors, and trolleys. Work to plug the breach began immediately.

      Harjot Singh Bains himself was seen actively filling sandbags with soil, tarpaulins, and other materials from tractors and trolleys to close the erosion site. His commitment and spirit of service inspired hundreds of people to join, bringing along the required supplies. Under his leadership, the repair work with sandbags and tarpaulins continued late into the night, with Mr. Bains staying at the site to ensure progress. He has also been closely monitoring the flood-affected areas in his constituency, as well as across Rupnagar district and other parts of Punjab hit by today’s heavy rainfall.

      On the occasion, Cabinet Minister Harjot Singh Bains said, “We have prayed to the Almighty to show mercy, as the next two days are predicted to bring extremely heavy rainfall. The water level in the Bhakra Dam is rising rapidly. With increasing inflows from the dam and hilly areas, our region faces a high-risk situation. Though there has been no loss of life, property, or livestock so far, if heavy rains continue or excess water is released from the dam in the coming days, damage may occur. Therefore, people must strictly follow the administration’s instructions.”

       He further appealed to the public not to believe in rumors. For any requirement—be it food supplies, medical help, livestock fodder, or any personal need—the helpline number 87279-62441 has been activated. He assured, “I am personally present in the area, constantly monitoring every situation. The administration is fully alert. All officials and staff are on duty. Our party volunteers, leaders, social organizations, panchayats, local residents, and Baba Satnam Singh Ji’s sewa team are all working with full dedication. This is a natural calamity, and people must extend their cooperation.”

Meanwhile, S. Harjot Singh Bains also extended a helping hand in filling sandbags to reinforce the banks of the Bakhra Canal near Dadhi village, demonstrating his commitment to mitigating the impact of the floodlike situations.

Chandigarh, September 1 – Haryana Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini today held an important meeting with all Deputy Commissioners through video conferencing, reviewed in detail the situation of heavy rainfall and floods across the state, and gave necessary directions to the district administrations. The Chief Minister made it clear that as a precautionary measure, in those districts where orders have been issued to close schools, the administration must ensure that all schools remain completely closed.

Sh. Nayab Singh Saini directed that people coming into Haryana from flood-affected Punjab should immediately be provided arrangements for shelter, food, and other necessary facilities. He said there should be adequate storage of food grains and timely availability of meals, along with proper arrangements for fodder for animals.

He gave clear instructions that there should be no waterlogging in residential areas, and for this, the administration should make all necessary arrangements. Also, continuous monitoring should be kept on waterlogging in fields and remote areas as well as on the water level of rivers. The Chief Minister directed that Executive Engineers of Irrigation and Public Health Engineering Department, all SDMs, Tehsildars, Patwaris, DROs, DDPOS, and other concerned officers must remain stationed in their respective areas and keep a constant watch on the situation.

He directed the district administration to actively involve Panchayat representatives, Resident Welfare Associations, and Civil Society organizations in relief and rescue work, so that help can reach the affected people at the earliest.

Directing the Health Department to remain on alert, the Chief Minister said all hospitals and mobile medical teams must ensure adequate availability of medicines, ORS, vaccines, and ambulance services. Similarly, the Animal Husbandry Department was directed to ensure fodder, medicines, vaccination, and active veterinary teams in the affected areas.

The Chief Minister instructed that Haryana Disaster Relief Force (HDRF) should be kept on alert. If any assistance is required from headquarters, all departmental heads must remain ready to provide it promptly. Also, adequate numbers of pumping sets must be ensured, and urban cleanliness systems should be kept in proper order so that there is no obstruction in drainage of rainwater.

The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Sh. Anurag Rastogi, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Sh. Arun Kumar Gupta, Additional Chief Secretary of Power Department Sh. A.K. Singh, Commissioner & Secretary of Public Health Engineering Department Sh. Mohammed Shayin, Director General of Information, Public Relations, Languages & Culture Department Sh. K. Makarand Pandurang, Special Secretary (Monitoring & Coordination) Smt. Priyanka Soni, along with other officials.

Chandigarh, August 31:

Punjab Revenue, Rehabilitation and Disaster Management Minister S. Hardeep Singh Mundian, on Sunday, informed that so far 14,936 people have been evacuated to safer places from flood-affected areas across the state.

He said the entire state machinery along with NDRF, SDRF, Army and Punjab Police personnel are working tirelessly round-the-clock to safeguard lives and property. Giving district-wise details, the Cabinet Minister said 1700 people have been rescued in Amritsar, 25 in Barnala, 1599 in Fazilka, 3265 in Ferozepur, 5456 in Gurdaspur, 1052 in Hoshiarpur, 362 in Kapurthala, 163 in Mansa, 115 in Moga, 1139 in Pathankot and 60 people have been rescued in district Tarn Taran.

S. Mundian further said that the number of relief camps has also been increased alongside the evacuation drives. Currently, 122 relief camps are operational in affected districts sheltering 6,582 affected people.

Giving district-wise breakup, the Cabinet Minister said 16 camps have been set up in Amritsar, 1 in Barnala, 7 in Fazilka, 8 in Ferozepur, 25 in Gurdaspur, 20 in Hoshiarpur, 4 in Kapurthala, 1 in Mansa, 5 in Moga, 14 in Pathankot, 1 in Sangrur and 20 in Patiala. All Deputy Commissioners have been directed to ensure availability of essential supplies in these camps, he added.

S. Mundian said  that district Amritsar camps are sheltering 170 persons, Barnala 25, Fazilka 652, Ferozepur 3987, Gurdaspur 411, Hoshiarpur 478, Kapurthala 110, Mansa 163, Moga 115, Pathankot 411 and Sangrur 60.

While expressing gratitude to NDRF, SDRF, Army, Punjab Police and NGOs for standing firmly with the government in this critical time, the Cabinet Minister informed that at present, 6 NDRF teams are deployed in Gurdaspur and one each in Fazilka, Ferozepur, Pathankot and Amritsar. Similarly, 2 SDRF teams are operational in Kapurthala. The Army, Navy and Air Force have also been pressed into service in Kapurthala, Gurdaspur, Ferozepur and Pathankot while one BSF team each is carrying out relief works in Gurdaspur and Ferozepur. Punjab Police and Fire Brigade are assisting the administration in affected areas of Kapurthala and Ferozepur. He said that 15 boats in Kapurthala, 12 in Ferozepur and 4 in Pathankot are engaged in evacuations and wherever needed, airlifting operations are being executed.

The Revenue Minister informed that so far a total of 1312 villages have been impacted by floods across Punjab. These include 93 in Amritsar, 26 in Barnala, 21 in Bathinda, 1 in Fatehgarh Sahib, 92 in Fazilka, 107 in Ferozepur, 324 in Gurdaspur, 86 in Hoshiarpur, 55 in Jalandhar, 123 in Kapurthala, 26 in Ludhiana, 4 in Malerkotla, 77 in Mansa, 35 in Moga, 81 in Pathankot, 14 in Patiala, 2 in Rupnagar, 22 in Sangrur, 1 in SAS Nagar, 3 in SBS Nagar, 74 in Sri Muktsar Sahib and 45 in Tarn Taran.

Chandigarh, August 31-

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Sunday sought immediate intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to release all funds of state worth Rs 60,000 crore stuck with Government of India.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, Bhagwant Singh Mann apprised him that Punjab is currently grappling with one of the

worst flood disasters in decades, impacting about 1000 villages and affecting lakhs of people. The Chief Minister said that heavy monsoon rains, coupled with the release of waters from dams, have caused extensive flooding in seven districts, namely Gurdaspur, Kapurthala, Amritsar, Pathankot, Ferozepur, Fazilka and Hoshiarpur. He said that  the situation is still evolving as there is a grave concern that conditions may further deteriorate in the coming days.

The Chief Minister said that at present, about three lakh acres of farmland, primarily paddy fields,

remain submerged under floodwater, leading to devastating crop losses just weeks before harvest. In addition, he said that there has been a widespread loss of livestock, which is severely impacting rural households whose

livelihoods are heavily dependent on dairy and animal husbandry. Bhagwant Singh Mann also apprised the Prime Minister that permanent loss of revenue on account of implementation of

GST and transition from VAT Regime is Rs 49,727 Crore for which no compensation has been provided by GoI.

Likewise, the Chief Minister said that reduction of RDF and MDF in last few years has ballooned to over Rs 8,000 Crore adding that recently Government of India has also scrapped pMcsy projects in Punjab amounting to 828 Crore. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that this can adversely impacted state’s rural connectivity in long-run adding that Punjab is facing tough time due to worst flood conditions. He requested the Prime Minister to release all funds of Punjab stuck with Government of India, which is to the tune of Rs. 60,000 crores.

The Chief Minister said that While substantial funds are available in the State Disaster Response

Fund(SDRF), the existing norms prescribed under the guidelines of the Ministry of Home Affairs remain grossly inadequate to compensate farmers, livestock owners, and vulnerable communities for the scale of their losses. He said that the notified norms are totally unrealistic as compared to actual losses been suffered by the farmers. Citing an example, Bhagwant Singh Mann said that input subsidy where crop loss is 33% and above has been fixed as Rs. 17,000 per hectare, this translate into Rs. 6,800/- per acre.

The Chief minister said that Paying such a petty amount would be a cruel joke with the farmers due to which the State Government contributes additional Rs. 8,200/- per acre and pays Rs. 15,000/- per acre to the farmers. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that since the crops are almost at the harvesting stage, so at least Rs. 50,000/- per acre should be paid to the farmers. Seeking revision in the norms of compensation of SDRF, he said that needless to say that State Government shall continue to contribute 25% as per scheme of SDRF.

CHANDIGARH/TARN TARAN, August 31:

          In a major breakthrough against organized crime amidst the ongoing drive to make Punjab a safe and secure state as per directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) Punjab, in a joint operation with Tarn Taran Police apprehended two associates of Prabh Dassuwal-Gopi Ganshampur gang for their involvement in a recent firing incident at a Salon in Patti Tarn Taran, said Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav here on Sunday.

          Those arrested have been identified as Gurpreet Singh alias Gandhi, a resident of Khadoor Sahib in Tarn Taran and Jaskaran alias Karan, a resident of village Phailoke in Tarn Taran. Police teams have also recovered three .30 bore country-made pistols from their possession.

          As per the information, on August 24,2025 at around 11.30 PM, three bike borne person fired bullets upon a salon in Patti Tarn Taran. The owner of the salon had been receiving extortion calls from unknown mobile numbers since last few months.

          DGP Gaurav Yadav said that preliminary investigation revealed that both the accused were in touch with foreign-based gangster Prabh Dassuwal of Gopi Ghanshampuria Gang and carried out firing on directions of him to extort money. Duo accused persons were further planning to commit sensational crime in Punjab and frequently changing their location, he said.

          The DGP said that further investigation is on to establish forward and backward linkages in this case to unearth the entire network.

          Sharing operation details, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) AGTF Promod Ban said that had received specific human and technical inputs about these two suspects hatching conspiracy to commit sensational crime in the state. Acting swiftly, teams from AGTF Punjab along with Tarn Taran police, has successfully apprehended the two accused from Sarhali Road, Kairon in Tarn Taran, he said.

          Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Tarn Taran Deepak Pareek said that both the arrested accused have criminal past with cases including Murder, theft and Arms Act etc are registered against them.

          The SSP said that in this regard an FIR No 131 dated 25/08/2025 under sections 125, 308(4) and 324(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act was already registered at Police Station City Patti Tarn Taran.

CHANDIGARH/AMRITSAR, August 31:

          In an intelligence-led operation amidst the ongoing drive to make Punjab a safe and secure state as per directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Counter Intelligence (CI) Pathankot, CI Ludhiana & State Special Operations Cell (SSOC) Amritsar jointly busted a Babbar Khalsa International (BKI)-backed terror module and thwarted major disruptive activities in the state with the arrest of two operatives, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Sunday.

          Those arrested have been identified as Sarwan Kumar, a resident of village Malhian in Gurdaspur and Balwinder Singh, a resident of Jakkriya in Gurdaspur. During search, police teams have recovered one Arges hand grenade and one .30 bore star mark pistol along with three live cartridges from their possession.

          The development came in less than a week after CI Pathankot had averted a target killing by busting module of same network with the four members including two juveniles and recovered two .30 bore star mark pistols from their possession.

          DGP Gaurav Yadav said that preliminary investigations have revealed that arrested accused persons were working on the directions of their foreign-based handlers, who are backed by Babbar Khalsa International. Arrested accused were introduced to these handlers by an intermediary, he said.

          The DGP said that a case under relevant sections of law has been registered. Efforts are being made to trace and apprehend the other members associated with this network, he said.

          Sharing more details, AIG CI Pathankot Sukhminder Singh Mann said that arrested accused were tasked to conduct recce of various security establishments and to execute the assignment, they were provided with explosives and funds. Arrested accused persons were communicating with their handlers using encrypted apps and virtual phone numbers, he said.

          The AIG said that further investigations are being conducted to unearth this BKI-backed entire network and investigate previous crimes committed by the arrested persons.

          In this regard, a case FIR No. 48 dated 30.08.2025 under section 25 of the Arms Act, section 61 (2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Explosive Substances Act has been registered at Police Station SSOC Amritsar.

Chandigarh, August 31:

Punjab Additional Chief Secretary-cum-Financial Commissioner Revenue Sh. Anurag Verma today reviewed the flood relief operations in the districts of Ferozepur and Fazilka. He assessed the prevailing situation and directed officials to ensure uninterrupted relief measures for the affected families.

Additional Chief Secretary-cum-Financial Commissioner Revenue Sh. Anurag Verma, after inspecting the villages along the Sutlej river in district Ferozepur today, shared that due to heavy rainfall, nearly 3 lakh acres of land in Punjab have been affected and around 1.25 lakh people have come under the impact of floods. During affected are visit, he was accompanied by Divisional Commissioner Ferozepur Arun Sekhri, Deputy Commissioner Deepshikha Sharma and SSP Bhupinder Singh Sidhu and ADC Damanjit Singh Mann.

Mr. Verma held detailed discussions with the flood-affected villagers and district administration regarding the losses. He said, “the foremost priority of the state government is to ensure the protection of lives, shift people to safe shelters in relief camps and provide food and basic necessities for everyone including children and the elderly.

He stated that the state government has already announced special girdawari to provide compensation for the affected crops. District authorities have been directed to collect accurate data on losses, he said, adding that compensation will be disbursed as per the directions of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann.

In district Ferozepur alone, around 107 villages and nearly 45,000 people have been impacted. Some of the displaced families have been shifted to eight relief camps set up by district administration where they are being provided food supplies and all other essential items.

Referring to village Gatti Rajoke, Mr. Anurag Verma said that residents had drawn attention to slow drainage of floodwaters. Hence, instructions have been issued to the drainage department to expedite dewatering with the help of JCB machines. He further said that due to waterlogging on the roads, several villages have been cut off from connectivity and the administration has been directed to speed up restoration efforts.

The Additional Chief Secretary informed that district authorities are working round the clock to provide relief. Tarpaulins and other necessary supplies are being delivered with the support of NDRF and BSF. So far, more than 3300 people have been rescued. He remarked that the government is going two steps ahead to extend all possible help to the flood-affected families. He further said that the government is fully alert and calculations have already been made in coordination with relevant departments regarding release of water from dams in case of heavy rainfall or regulated drainage if rainfall stops.

He underlined that the state government is fully prepared and has drawn up a comprehensive plan to deal with every situation.

Following this, Mr. Anurag Verma convened meeting with officials at the SDM office, Jalalabad, to review the ongoing flood relief measures in district Fazilka. He directed the Deputy Commissioner and other officers to ensure that relief operations continue without any lapse and that every affected individual receives necessary aid. He assured that there is no shortage of funds for relief work and that the government will release funds as per requirement. The Drainage Department was instructed to maintain strict vigil on the embankments and drains along the Sutlej river and to ensure that no further breach occurs. He further directed that the natural flow of water in the drains must not be obstructed and any blockage, if found, should be cleared immediately to prevent overflow.

Mr. Verma also stressed that people shifted to relief camps should not face any inconvenience and relief material must reach the affected families after proper identification.

Prominent amongst others who were present in the meeting included Deputy Commissioner Amarpreet Kaur Sandhu, Additional Deputy Commissioner General Dr. Mandeep Kaur, SDMs Krishna Pal Rajput and Kamrajit Singh Mann, Assistant Commissioner General Amandeep Singh Mavi, Executive Engineer Drainage Alok Chaudhary and DSP Avinash Chander.

Chandigarh August 31, 2025 –

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB), during its ongoing drive against corruption in the state, has arrested Lakhbir Singh, then Block Development and Panchayat Officer (BDPO) Jandiala Guru, in Amritsar district, presently posted at block Ghall Khurd in district Ferozepur and Manjinder Singh, ex-Sarpanch, gram panchayat Gehri Mandi, in district Amritsar for embezzlement of Panchayat funds to the tune of Rs. 24,69,949.

Disclosing this here today, an official spokesperson of the state VB said this case has been registered on the basis of a complaint filed by a resident of village Gehri Mandi. Afterwards a technical team of VB has conducted an investigation regarding misappropriation in development funds received by the said gram panchayat from year 2013 to 2017.

He added that during the probe it has came to light that, during the above said check period, this gram panchayat had received total funds amounting to Rs. 49,21,658 and has spent only Rs. 17,37,900 which proved that the Manjinder Singh Sarpanch, in connivance and conspiracy with the then gram panchayat secretary Karanjeet Singh and above said Lakhbir Singh B.D.P.O usurped the funds amounting to Rs. 24,69,949.

He further informed that based on the investigation a case under section 13(1) (a), 13(2) of Prevention of Corruption Act and 201, 409, 420, 120-B of IPC has been registered at VB police station Amritsar range against the aforementioned accused and further investigation is under progress, he added.