Sukhbir Badal blames illegal mining, Punjab government’s laxity for floods

SULTANPUR LODHI: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Thursday alleged that Punjab government was directly responsible for the misery of people due to devastating funds as it failed to conduct the required flood protection works besides failing to check illegal mining which had eroded rive embankments.
After visiting flood affected areas at Ahli Kalan, Badal said the Congress government ignored flood protection works and did not get the same done three months back as required.He said the government’s preparation was also exposed one month back when embankments broke at various places flooding farmer fields. “Even then money was not released to deputy commissioners to complete flood protection works”, he added.
He said illegal mining had eroded river embankments at several places. He said the government machinery had failed to check illegal mining because it was patronized by Congress leaders. “This has also been a major contributor to the unprecedented flooding experienced in this belt,” he added.
The SAD president said the Congress government had also failed to take notice of appeals by the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) to utilize Bhakra dam waters for irrigation purposes. He said the Bhakra dam was filled adequately in May itself and the authorities had requested partner States to avail of additional water for irrigation purposes. “The government did not avail of this opportunity to avail extra water and instead farmers at canal ends faced acute water shortage."
He held that the Congress government did not even react appropriately to the warning given by BBMB on August 13 that it would be constrained to release water from the Bhakra dam on August 17. He said the government should have taken measures at weak points besides sending relief material in advance to take care of any eventuality.
Replying to a question, Badal said crores were available to the Punjab government under the central government’s disaster management fund. He said the government should avail of funds under this head instead of trying to politicize the issue to hide its own failures.