Kejriwal to tour flood-affected areas of Punjab on Wednesday

Punjab is struggling with its worst floods in decades, which have already claimed 30 lives and affected more than 3.5 lakh people across 23 districts. In response to the crisis, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal will visit the flood-hit areas of Punjab on Thursday. He will be joined by Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann to assess the relief work being carried out and to meet people affected by the disaster.

The AAP said Kejriwal’s visit is aimed at directly understanding the problems on the ground and ensuring that relief measures are reaching those who need them most. This comes at a time when several parts of Punjab are submerged due to overflowing rivers and rivulets following heavy rainfall in their catchment areas in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.

Floods cause large-scale devastation

The floods in Punjab have been triggered by the swelling of major rivers like the Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi, as well as smaller seasonal rivulets. Continuous heavy rainfall in the mountains has worsened the situation, sending huge volumes of water downstream. Initially, only 12 districts were affected, but the state government has now declared all 23 districts as flood-hit.

The scale of destruction is massive. Crops have been washed away, houses have been damaged, roads and bridges have collapsed, and large areas are still waterlogged. According to officials, more than 3.5 lakh people are impacted, with thousands displaced from their homes. Relief camps have been set up in several locations to provide shelter, food, and medical care to the affected families.

The floods have disrupted normal life in almost every part of the state. Power cuts, shortage of clean drinking water, and damage to communication lines have made the situation worse. Rescue operations are being carried out by the state disaster response teams, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and the army. Boats and helicopters are being used to evacuate stranded villagers from low-lying areas.

Education, trade, and agriculture are among the worst-hit sectors. With paddy fields submerged, farmers fear huge losses. This comes as a major blow to Punjab’s agrarian economy. The state government has assured compensation for the losses and promised that every effort will be made to rebuild damaged infrastructure quickly.

AAP’s relief efforts and support

AAP leaders have been actively participating in relief efforts. Punjab AAP affairs in-charge Manish Sisodia visited Marar village in Patti assembly constituency on Wednesday to take stock of the situation. He interacted with affected families and reviewed ongoing relief measures.

On Tuesday, Kejriwal announced that the party’s Delhi unit president Saurabh Bharadwaj would reach Punjab with trucks of relief material. He said that every day, AAP MLAs, MPs, and even ordinary citizens from Delhi would send supplies to Punjab. Resident welfare associations (RWAs) and traders in Delhi have also been contributing resources for relief operations.

Kejriwal added that the entire country is standing with Punjab during this tragedy. “Every day, people are coming forward to help. Many leaders and citizens from Delhi are sending relief trucks. The nation is united in support of Punjab,” he said.

In addition to material support, AAP leaders have also contributed financially. Kejriwal announced that all AAP MLAs and MPs would donate their one month’s salary to the Punjab Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. The money will be used to provide aid to the victims and speed up relief and rehabilitation work.

Rajya Sabha member Raghav Chadha has also extended financial support by contributing ₹3.25 crore from his Local Area Development (LAD) Scheme fund. Out of this, ₹2.75 crore has been sanctioned for repairing embankments along the Ravi river in Gurdaspur, one of the worst-affected districts. Another ₹50 lakh has been allocated for relief and rehabilitation work in Amritsar.

Chadha expressed deep sorrow over the deaths caused by the floods and said, “These funds are not mine, they belong to Punjab and Punjabis. Every rupee will go towards service and rebuilding Punjab.”

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Government’s assurance and way forward

Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann has been closely monitoring the situation since the floods began. He has assured people that the government will leave no stone unturned to provide assistance and restore normalcy. Relief camps are being expanded, and medical teams have been deployed to prevent the spread of waterborne diseases.

The state government has also requested additional funds and resources from the central government to deal with the crisis. Experts believe that repairing damaged embankments and restoring agriculture will take months, but immediate efforts are focused on saving lives and providing relief.

As Kejriwal prepares to visit Punjab, the focus will be on ensuring that relief work is effective and reaches the worst-hit areas. His visit is also expected to boost the morale of flood-affected families, who are struggling to cope with the tragedy.

The floods in Punjab have once again highlighted the vulnerability of the state to natural disasters and the urgent need for long-term planning in flood management. Strengthening river embankments, improving drainage systems, and developing early warning mechanisms are being discussed as essential steps to prevent such large-scale damage in the future.

Conclusion

Punjab is currently going through one of its most challenging times in recent history. The floods have taken lives, displaced thousands, and damaged livelihoods. But relief operations are in full swing, with both the state and central governments working alongside voluntary organizations and political parties like AAP to provide help.

Kejriwal’s visit on Thursday will underline the seriousness of the situation and the collective responsibility of leaders to stand with the people. With combined efforts, Punjab hopes to overcome this crisis and rebuild stronger.