Chandigarh, Sep 14 (IANS) Punjab Revenue Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian on Sunday said the government has deputed nodal chairmen and members to assist in the assessment of flood damage and ensure effective execution of relief and rehabilitation works.

In a statement, he said the unprecedented floods have caused massive destruction in Punjab.

The government has identified 2,303 villages that require urgent support for basic relief measures and resettlement.

For this purpose, nodal representatives have been appointed to work in coordination with district administrations and designated nodal gazetted officers.

“These chairmen and members will supervise distribution of relief material, assist in assessing crop loss, damage to houses and livestock and facilitate timely claims of affected families so that compensation and assistance are provided without any delay,” said the minister.

Highlighting the government’s seriousness towards rehabilitation, Mundian said flood-affected people not only need immediate relief but also medical camps, livelihood support and resettlement facilities.

He underlined that nodal appointees will function as the supporting arm of the government in the villages, ensuring quick medical assistance, sanitation drives and restoration of essential services, while also working to make livelihood options available for displaced families.

The Revenue Minister directed all the Deputy Commissioners and Sub-Divisional Authorities to extend full cooperation to the nodal representatives by sharing relevant data and resources, enabling smooth coordination at the village level.

Meanwhile, the government, in a notification, adopted measures that included cleanliness, potable water supply, and preventive health-related interventions to ensure restoration of normalcy in the towns of the state.

As per the notification, directions have been given to all Commissioners of Municipal Corporations and others to take the task on a mission mode. Amid the severe inundation and waterlogging owing to floods in the Ravi, Beas, Satluj and Ghaggar rivers as well as their tributaries and heavy rains, Local Government Minister Ravjot Singh said one of the major tasks is to ensure cleanliness.

He said silt or sand, along with other debris, would be collected in towns where inundation occurred.

The government has decided to initiate a special drive for the cleanliness of such silt and debris as well as road gullies and city drains by urban local bodies.

–IANS

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