District-level monitoring sub-committees to start field inspections from September 19

Rs 10.21 Cr Spent On Cleaning And Desilting In Flood-Affected Villages Of Punjab In Four Days: Sond

Chandigarh, September 18: The Punjab Government has intensified its efforts to restore normalcy in flood-affected villages across the state. In the last four days, a total of Rs 10.21 crore has been spent on cleaning operations and desilting, Information And Public Relations Department, Punjab said in a press release.

Rural Development and Panchayats Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond said that, under the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the scientific disposal of dead animals during the floods is being ensured. He informed that Rs 17.54 lakh has been spent on the disposal of 259 animals. The Minister added that the removal of debris and disposal of carcasses will be completed by September 24, while the cleaning of ponds will be concluded by October 22.

Highlighting the damage caused to community assets in rural areas, Sond said that according to reports, an estimated Rs 153.33 crore will be required for their repair. He assured that the urgent repair works on these community assets will be completed by October 15. To prevent the outbreak of diseases, 543 fogging machines have already been deployed in affected areas, and an additional 750 machines will be deployed soon.

The Minister further said that Gram Sabhas have been convened in all 2,280 flood-affected villages to ensure transparency and accountability. These special meetings identified and approved priority works to be undertaken in each village. Once the works are completed, another Gram Sabha will be convened to review expenditures and verify the completion of tasks.

To strengthen monitoring, Sond announced that district-level sub-committees headed by BDPOs or DDPOs will begin field inspections from September 19. These officers will be responsible for submitting weekly verification reports, documenting fund utilization, and maintaining before-and-after photographic records of works undertaken.