Chandigarh, Sep 3 (PTI) At least six people, including three girls, were killed in rain-related incidents in Haryana on Wednesday, officials said.
A fresh spell of heavy rain lashed several parts of Haryana
Wednesday where swollen rivers have inundated large tracts of land and disrupted normal life.
In Bhiwani district’s Kalinga village, three girls, aged seven to fifteen years, were killed while their parents and a minor brother were injured when the roof of their rented house collapsed. The family was sleeping at the time of the incident.
In another incident, two people were killed and three others seriously injured when the roof of their house collapsed in Amar Vihar Colony in Shahbad Markanda — about 20 km from Kurukshetra — following heavy rains.
Six labourers from Uttar Pradesh were sleeping in the room that had a ‘kutcha’ roof. The injured have been admitted to hospital for treatment, he said.
In a separate incident in Bandi village in Yamunanagar district, a man was killed when the roof of a ‘kutcha’ house collapsed following heavy rains.
In view of the prevalent situation arising out of incessant rains causing waterlogging across several districts, Haryana Public Health and Engineering Minister, Ranbir Gangwa, on Wednesday convened an emergency meeting and directed the officials to ensure immediate drainage and uninterrupted drinking water supply across the state.
Meanwhile, Haryana’s Energy and Transport Minister Anil Vij, who is MLA from Ambala Cantonment, said the district administration is on high alert following information of increased water flow in the Tangri River.
The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) has been called in, and directions have been issued to the Deputy Commissioner for coordinating with the Army to remain on standby, Vij said.
Due to continuous rainfall, blockages often occur under culverts, and steps are being taken to clear them immediately, he told reporters.
Vij said all councillors and officials formed teams early this morning and have been visiting their respective wards from 6 am onwards to assess conditions and ensure swift remedial action.
State’s Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Vipul Goel also chaired a high-level review meeting here on Wednesday to assess the situation arising due to above-normal rainfall and preparations for flood management in the state.
The meeting evaluated the preparedness of various departments, district administrations, disaster management units, and other stakeholders, an official statement said.
The meeting reviewed the functioning of flood control rooms, availability of relief material and rescue equipment. Strengthening coordination with the Army, NGOs, and volunteers was also emphasised.
Haryana has received an allocation of about Rs 636 crore this year under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), to be utilised for disaster management and relief works.
In addition, all Deputy Commissioners have been provided with reserve funds to ensure prompt emergency response, and the Public Health Engineering Department has been given a special reserve fund to tackle water logging issues.
Goel said the first battalion of India Reserve Battalion Bhondsi, comprising 950 personnel, has been designated as the Haryana State Disaster Response Force (HSDRF). This force is ready for immediate relief and rescue operations in disaster-affected areas. It has been deployed in sensitive districts such as Yamunanagar, Ambala, Panchkula, Karnal, Kaithal, Palwal, Faridabad, Kurukshetra, Hisar, Rohtak, and Gurugram, he said.
For rescue operations in flood-affected areas, 151 boats have been deployed across different parts of the state to help evacuate people to safer locations. To provide relief to farmers affected by floods and waterlogging, the government has decided to keep the E-Kshatipurti portal open till September 15.
Through this portal, farmers can upload details of losses to their Kharif crops and file compensation claims. So far, claims have been filed for crop damage on nearly 4 lakh acres.
Goel instructed officials to complete the verification and payment process at the earliest so that farmers can receive timely financial assistance. PTI SUN RHL
