CM Bhagwant Mann: Not making helicopter rounds, I’m in field to assess ground situation

Mann rushed to Kharar from a review meeting that he had called in the morning. Before him, Jakhar had also reached Kharar and met people. Earlier, on Sunday, Jakhar had chided Mann saying that that Punjab was flooded and CM was moving around in Haryana apparently with an eye on next year’s Assembly polls in that state. Jakhar stated that the Mann should have visited the nearby areas of Chandigarh such as Derabassi, Mohali and Ropar.

Mann had attended a function in Panchkula on Sunday where Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal launched “Bijli Andolan” in Haryana promising of free power supply to the residents in the state if Aam aadmi Party is voted in.

On Monday, Jakhar’s team shared a programme with the media that he would be meeting flood victims in in Kharar. “The officers have been coming to these places and telling people to evacuate. Where will these people go? They call it Aam Aadmi sarkar but there is nothing like a common man’s government. These people are not getting food,” Jakhar said.

Mann, on the other had, made an appeal to the residents not to panic. “I am taking information from every corner of Punjab, from every junior and senior official. It is a natural calamity and we will face it together, the government is with the people, all possible help will be provided,” he said.

Later, Mann visited Kharar and Kajauli waterworks. Mann said, “It is raining heavily in Himachal. We are working on how to channelise the water that we are getting. We have shut down private and government schools till July 13,” he said, adding that a special girdawari will be done. “The government will compensate the farmers who have faced crop damage and the residents who have faced damage to their houses and property.”

He said that the situation is alarming but the state government is making every effort to minimise the losses. Mann said that he had a word with Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday during which he apprised him of the entire situation in the state. He said that as of now the Central assistance is not required for relief and rescue work.

The CM said that he is personally reviewing the situation every minute and from every corner of the state. “All the Cabinet ministers, MLAs and officers are in their respective areas and reaching out to the needy people in this hour of grave crisis.” Mann said that an elaborate flood protection mechanism has been put in place to safeguard the life and property of people. Deputy Commissioners (DCs) and Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) are expediting the relief work in their respective districts so as to provide succor to the masses.

The CM said, “An alert has already been issued in low-lying and flood-prone areas and help is being provided to the needy people.”
Mann said that flood control rooms have been set up in all the districts of the state and numbers have been made public. Officials have been appointed round the clock in these control rooms to serve the people. Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha too visited the rain-affected areas in Derabassi where Ghaggar river is in spate.

Meanwhile, Jakhar appealed to the state government to ensure all possible help to those in need. “I have requested the administration to immediately put in place evacuation plans and ration to ferry people stuck in waters to safer places,” Jakhar said. “People in Kharar have expressed genuine fear of losing their homes and valuables, for they have been issued notices by administration to vacate their houses in low lying areas,” he said, adding, “the administration must ensure safety of their belongings until the situation normalizes.”

He underlined that “This was no time to find faults and it was imperative that all come together.” Jakhar called upon all political parties to “rise above parochial interests and safeguard our citizens in wake of this grave situation which if not dealt with properly now might turn very ugly for our residents at the centre of this tragedy.”