Page 3 - Floods

Haryana govt gives relief to farmers, defers loan, power bill repayments

In a relief to flood-hit farmers, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Wednesday announced the postponement of crop loan repayment and payment of agricultural electricity bills. Addressing the media here, Saini said the recent heavy rains and floods caused extensive damage to crops, adding, "The Haryana government stands firmly by the flood-hit people." He informed that through the e-Kshatipurti portal, the government on Wednesday transferred the compensation amount of Rs 4.72 crore into the accounts of 2,386 people whose houses got damaged, and livestock had perished. He said the compensation amount included Rs 4.67 crore for damage to houses and Rs 4.21 lakh for cattle loss. The CM said 5.37 lakh farmers in 6,397 villages have registered themselves with the e-Kshatipurti portal for crop damage. He further informed that the state government would provide compensation of Rs 15,000 per acre to farmers after verification is complete. "Before Diwali, the affected farmers will

Rahul Gandhi urges PM to announce full relief package for flood-hit Punjab

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to soon give a comprehensive relief package to flood-hit Punjab and said the initial relief of Rs 1600 announced by him is an "injustice" to the people of the state. In a post on X, Gandhi shared a 10-minute video of his visit to flood-affected areas of Punjab along the India-Pakistan border, where he had interacted with people who lost their houses and livestock in the deluge. During their conversation with Gandhi, the affected people in the border areas highlighted the lack of facilities, including connectivity, and demanded the construction of roads and bridges. Some people also spoke about how they lost everything they had and sought help for their rehabilitation. A few also said that the Punjab government has promised them help but that it appears like "false promises" as no assistance is forthcoming and they have to fend for themselves. "Punjab has suffered losses of nearly Rs 20,000 crore due to the ..

10 missing as landslide, flooding hit chamoli villages after heavy rain

Eight people, including four members of a family, are missing in Kuntari village, where the landslide hit about half a dozen houses

India's renewable story needs better forecasting, stronger infrastructure

The devastating floods across northern India turned the spotlight on the fact that a surfeit of water is as disastrous as a scarcity of rain

Rahul Gandhi visits flood-hit areas in Amritsar, interacts with residents

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will visit the flood-affected areas of Punjab on Monday and interact with those hit by the natural calamity in Amritsar and Gurdaspur districts. Gandhi landed at the Sri Guru Ramdas Jee International Airport in Amritsar where he was received by Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Partap Singh Bajwa and Amritsar MP Gurjit Singh Aujla. During his visit, Gandhi will be visiting flood-affected areas in Amritsar and Gurdaspur districts. He will pay obeisance at the historic gurdwara Baba Budha Sahib in Ramdas area in Amritsar before leaving for Gurchak village in Dera Baba Nanak and Makaura in Gurdaspur. The MP will also meet flood-affected people during his visit. Punjab faced one of its worst flood disasters in decades. The floods were a result of swollen Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi rivers along with seasonal rivulets caused by heavy rainfall in their catchment areas in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and .

SBI Life simplifies processes to accept claims by North India flood victims

Company says it will not insist on death certificate as sole document for proof

Delhi seeks Haryana's assistance to drain floodwater from southwest areas

The Delhi government has sought help from Haryana to drain out the floodwater from Jharoda Kalan and some areas of Najafgarh that were inundated after a 50-foot embankment of Mungeshpur drain was breached. The breach occurred on Tuesday evening, leading to nearly five feet of water entering Geetanjali Enclave and adjoining pockets of Jharoda Kalan village near Baba Haridass Nagar in Delhi's Dwarka. Nearly 2,000 people were evacuated following the breach. "The drain breach has been repaired in coordination with the Haryana government. But the flooding is still there. We are pumping out the water using submersible pumps but it is taking time," an official said. He added that they have sought help from the Haryana government to deploy manpower and pumps to aid the operation. "Waiting for the sun to dry the water will take a considerable amount of time. We have asked them to help us in the operation," the official said. The evacuated people have been housed in temporary shelters at B

PM to conduct aerial survey of Uttarakhand's disaster-affected areas today

PM Modi will also visit Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi, where he will host the Prime Minister of Mauritius, Navinchandra Ramgoolam

₹1,600 cr 'token' for immediate works, more help to be given: Punjab Guv

Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria on Wednesday said Rs 1,600-crore assistance announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for flood-hit state is a 'token' amount for immediate relief works and asserted that more assistance will be given. After PM Modi announced the financial aid on Tuesday, ministers of the AAP government in Punjab lashed out at the Centre terming it a "cruel joke" and an "insult" for a state staring at losses exceeding Rs 20,000 crore. Asserting that Rs 1,600 crore is a "token" amount, Governor Kataria said after assessment, what maximum help can be given to the farmers and people whose houses have been damaged, farmers who lost their animals in floods and suffered other damage, will be given. When asked if more central assistance can come for flood-hit Punjab, the Governor, who was replying to questions from reporters in Mohali, said, "Hundred percent it will come. This is only a token." "This is for immediate (relief) works being done, it is like a token for tha

Veggie prices rise in Delhi as flood waters recede in neighbouring states

Flood-hit crop supplies push vegetable prices up 11-34% in Delhi's Azadpur mandi; experts warn of inflation risks as food costs climb across NCR

PM Modi announces ₹1,600 crore relief package for flood-hit Punjab

PM also expressed his condolences to the family members of those who have lost their lives and announced an ex-gratia payment of ₹2,00,000 for their next of kin

Punjab floods turn into real-time test lab for flood-resistant maize crops

Punjab's devastating floods have inadvertently created a natural laboratory for testing flood-resistant maize crops, providing crucial data for scientists working to restore 1.9 lakh hectares of damaged farmland across the state. International agricultural research organisation CIMMYT was already field-testing 10 maize hybrid varieties at its Ludhiana facility when floodwaters struck, submerging agricultural land across 1,400 villages in the state. Four of the experimental hybrids had been specifically developed for water-logging tolerance. "God is testing those hybrids," said Dr B M Prasanna, Managing Director of the Borlaug Institute for South Asia (BISA), told reporters here. "Within a few weeks, we will come to know the difference between a water-logging tolerance hybrid from a susceptible hybrid." The floods came just two weeks after Punjab's additional chief secretary had approached CIMMYT-BISA, requesting development of improved maize hybrids with three specific traits: ...

BoB to PNB: Banks act to ensure uninterrupted services in flood-hit Punjab

Banks have issued advisories to branches in flood-hit Punjab to maintain customer services by stocking ATMs, keeping digital channels live and relocating operations if required

Ahead of PM's Punjab visit, AAP govt seeks ₹20,000 crore flood relief

Punjab cabinet minister Aman Arora on Monday appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to announce a relief package of at least Rs 20,000 crore for the flood-ravaged state during his visit. PM Modi will visit Punjab on September 9 to take stock of the flood situation. "Even though the PM has not uttered a word yet for the flood-hit Punjab, he is our PM and I welcome him with folded hands for his visit.I also expect that he should be seen standing by Punjab during his visit," Arora told reporters here. Referring to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's recent letter to the PM demanding Rs 60,000 crore of the state's funds, Arora said it is Punjab's right and it should be released. A few days ago, Mann had written to Modi to release Rs 60,000 crore of the state's funds, which he claimed were "stuck" with the government of India while highlighting that Punjab was grappling with one of the worst flood disasters in decades. Noting that the prevailing flood situation was even worse than the 198

Empowering women could be Pak's key to recovery after devastating floods

Pakistan faces a second major flood in three years, and experts say empowering women and investing in grassroots initiatives could be the key to resilient recovery and long-term growth

Punjab govt to allow farmers to clear sand from flood-hit fields: Sisodia

As of Saturday, 46 people have lost their lives due to floods in Punjab, according to the officials

Punjab floods: PM Modi to visit Gurdaspur on Sept 9 as states send aid

Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini and Delhi CM Rekha Gupta flagged off relief trucks for flood-hit Punjab and Himachal; Delhi govt also pledged ₹5 crore to Punjab CM's Relief Fund

Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrimage may resume next week after weather review

The pilgrimage to the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine atop the Trikuta hills in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district is likely to resume next week after a fresh review of the weather advisory, officials said on Saturday. The yatra remained suspended for the 12th consecutive day on Saturday with the weatherman forecasting the possibility of moderate rain or thunder showers over a few districts of Jammu division towards late night or early morning hours on September 7 and 8. "A decision to resume the yatra will be taken next week. The track is cleared of the debris and is getting a facelift after the recent damage due to landslides triggered by heavy rains," an official of the shrine board said. The yatra was suspended hours before a landslide along the old track at Adhkuwari on August 26 claimed 34 lives and left 20 others injured. The suspension is the longest since the COVID-19 restrictions, with authorities prioritising pilgrim safety and conducting restoration work on the damaged track a

If PM Narendra Modi can plan Bihar tour, why not visit flood-hit Punjab?

Punjab reels from floods as political fault lines deepen - Sikh leadership rifts, BJP's Punjab strategy, and separatist propaganda fuel alienation

22 river monitoring stations record severe flood situation: CWC

The Central Water Commission on Friday warned of widespread flooding across several states, with 22 river monitoring stations reporting 'severe flood' situation and 23 others 'above normal' water levels. According to the daily flood situation report, eight stations each in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, and one each in Gujarat, Delhi, Jharkhand, Odisha, Rajasthan and West Bengal are in 'severe flood' category. Another 23 stations, including in Assam, Jammu and Kashmir, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal, have recorded 'above normal' water levels. The Central Water Commission (CWC) said inflow forecasts have been issued for 46 dams and barrages, including 12 in Karnataka, six in Telangana, five in Andhra Pradesh, and several in Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Maharashtra and Uttarakhand. Authorities have been advised to regulate dam operations strictly as per standard protocols to prevent downstream flooding. The Yamuna river at Delhi's Old Railway Bridge is flowing in .