Vikram Ditya Sharma/Ferozepur

Holding both the Centre and the Punjab Government responsible for the misery caused by the devastating floods in border areas, Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) President Simranjit Singh Mann said that the people living along the Indo-Pak border have been left to fend for themselves in these testing times.

Talking to the mediapersons during his visit to the flood-affected villages in this border district, Mann alleged that despite repeated warnings and past experiences, no effective measures were taken to prevent such large-scale flooding. He said the breach of the Sutlej embankments and the overflowing water have rendered thousands of villagers homeless, while their crops and livestock have been destroyed.

Mann accused both the state and the Centre of showing apathy towards the plight of the border residents, who are already facing hardships due to their proximity to the international boundary. “The governments wake up only when tragedy strikes. Had there been timely desilting, strengthening of embankments, and proper disaster preparedness, the situation could have been averted,” he remarked.

Mann demanded immediate compensation and rehabilitation for the affected families, along with long-term measures to prevent recurrence of such disasters in the future.