Akali Dal president Sukhbir Badal demanded immediate compensation for the affected people and cleaning of the drains.
Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar also targeted the state government for its “lack of planning and preparation despite clear warnings by Meterological department before the monsoon season.”
Slamming the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in the state for “sheer negligence and insensitivity” in flood-affected areas, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring Wednesday said, “Five days have already passed and the victims are still awaiting assistance, first-aid and other necessary help. But the government still hasn’t woken up from its deep slumber with its leaders claiming that the situation is under control.”
Leader of opposition in Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Partap Singh Bajwa also hit out at the AAP government and accused it of “adopting laxity in making proper arrangements that could have minimised the disaster caused by the recent floods in several districts of the state.” Akali Dal president Sukhbir Badal also demanded immediate compensation for the affected people and cleaning of the drains.
In a written statement, the Congress MLA from Qadian said that it is only because of the mismanagement and lack of proper arrangements in the state that the floods wreaked havoc in almost half of the state. “Due to the sheer failures of the AAP government in preparing for the floods well in advance, residents of 1,056 villages have been going through a nightmarish experience. As many as 11 people have died so far while five were still untraceable. Besides, 12 people have been injured,” Bajwa said.
The Meteorological department in Delhi had issued a warning of heavy rain alert on July 5 for Delhi and other parts of north India, including Punjab. Though Himachal Pradesh and J&K are more vulnerable to such causalities, they made arrangements in advance to deal with the situation but the AAP engaged in its usual theatrics. While Punjabis were fighting the natural calamity on their own, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was attempting to lure Haryana voters. He was addressing the election rallies in the neighbouring state and celebrating his first marriage anniversary. He didn’t even bother to inquire about the well-being of the Punjabis,” Bajwa said, adding that the government has Rs 729 crore available for disaster management. “The Centre gave Rs 488 crore but even then the AAP government remained unsuccessful to prepare for the calamity in advance,” he said.
