Snakebites and drowning claim lives in flood-hit Punjab, Govt launches health campaign

Officials said Vazir was first ferried in a motorboat from his village to the Kawanwali bridge and then to the hospital by an ambulance. As floodwaters have submerged roads, villagers rely on boats to reach the bridge, the only link to Fazilka town. It takes around 40 minutes for motorboats to travel from the village to the bridge. Retewali Bhaini has been surrounded by floodwaters for more than 25 days, but residents have refused to leave, fearing theft or damage to their houses.

On Saturday evening, minister Tarun Preet Singh Sond, who has been camping in Fazilka to oversee flood relief, visited Vazir’s family and offered condolences and said that the Government will compensate the family from the state disaster relief fund.

Snakebite cases are on the rise in several flood-hit districts. On September 4, three patients were rushed to Guru Nanak Dev Medical College, Amritsar, and two of them died while the third remains under treatment. “The number of snakebite cases has gone up in flood-affected villages,” a health official in Amritsar said.

Floods disturb the natural habitat of snakes, making snakebites more frequent. Three snakebite deaths unrelated to the floods were also reported in Patiala in August, during the monsoon.

In another incident, Gurmeet Singh, 50, a resident of Talli Gulam village in Ferozepur, drowned while stepping out to get medicine for his wife on Saturday. Though the water on the road appeared shallow, he slipped into a deeper stretch and was swept away. Volunteers from Khalsa Aid and actor Inderjit Nikku’s team managed to pull him out, but he had already died.

Deepshikha Sharma, Deputy Commissioner, Ferozepur, said that Gurmeet was swept away by strong river currents. She said Rs 25,000 had been released immediately for funeral expenses and that a compensation cheque of Rs 4 lakh from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) would be handed to the family on Sunday.

“The administration deeply regrets this tragic loss and assures the family of every possible support during this difficult time,” Sharma said, adding that officials were monitoring flood-hit villages to ensure timely rescue and relief.

In the same district, Balwinder Singh, 38, died of a heart attack on Saturday while standing at the embankment of the Sutlej at Kamal Wala 324 (Muthian Wala), a village that has been under floodwaters for more than 25 days now. Father of two daughters, Balwinder had been devastated as his two acres of land lay completely submerged.

“In the 2023 floods, too, he suffered heavy losses. He had since then rebuilt life from scratch. This time, he could not bear the setback and was deeply distressed. We don’t know whether the Government will even consider him as a flood victim,” said Iqbal Singh Mallah, the village nambardar.

Statewide campaign and cleanliness drive

Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh on Saturday launched a statewide campaign against dengue, vector-borne diseases, and snake and dog bites, along with a special cleanliness drive across Patiala and nearby villages.

Urging people to dial the helpline 104 in case of emergencies, he said, “Our main focus now is on rescue, relief, medical aid, rations, and rehabilitation of flood-affected people.” He said that antivenom was available in government hospitals and appealed to the public to seek timely treatment in case of snakebites.

Dr Singh also announced that he would tour all 23 districts to oversee the campaign, adding that ward and village health committees would be reactivated to strengthen the fight against communicable diseases.