Fazilka September 27:
Even as the swollen Sutlej and its old creek has triggered off soil erosion and migration of residents in affected villages located at a stone’s throw from the border for the fourth time in the past three months, the civil administration has sounded an alert in vulnerable villages after declaring low floods in the Sutlej.
“As the water level can go up further, we have asked people to shift to safer places,” said Fazilka SDM Ajay Sood, adding that relief camps had been set up at required places. About 29 families of Mohar Jamsher village, which is situated on the bank of the creek and is surrounded by Pakistan from three sides, have shifted to safer places as water from the swollen creek started touching its boundaries.
Sources said today, water level in the Sutlej (upstream Harike) was record high of this season as it touched 81,790 cusecs and the release of water into the Sutlej (downstream Harike) was also highest today as it went up to 65,031 cusecs. Standing paddy and other crops has also been submerged under water. As the water touched the rail-cum-road bridge of Gidderpindi, the authorities stopped rail traffic on the Ferozepur-Jalandhar section late last night, which was restarted at 11 am.
Official sources said the cobra fencing erected in the close vicinity of the border had been flooded in various pockets, including Joginder border observation post (BOP), Shame Ke BOP, DT Mal BOP, Basti Ram Lal, Bahini Dilawar BOP and Natha Singh (NS) Wala BOP in Ferozepur, Jalalabad and Fazilka sectors.
