Nearly all major rivers of Punjab continue to remain swollen as heavy rains keep lashing different parts of the province as well as the country on Wednesday.
Release of water by India into rivers has made things even worse.
Section 144 has been imposed on 21 points in Bahawalpur district until August 7 in view of deluge in River Sutlej.
According to the notification issued by the district administration, there will be a complete ban on swimming and crossing the river on boats.
Similarly, strolling and assemblage of people on the banks of the river will also not be allowed.
People have been warned of the consequences in case they fail to comply with the instructions.
River Sutlej has left a trail of destruction at Ferozepur Chistian, a suburban village of Pakpattan, as it has inundated homes and crops.
Farmers, on the other hand, continue to look up to Punjab Chief Minister Syed Mohsin Naqvi for help.
Likewise, there is no improvement in the situation in River Sutlej at Arifwala where water has entered fields, people’s homes and has even washed away roads after a protective embankment was washed away.
Over 8,000 affected people have been evacuated from their homes and moved to safe locations. Similarly, River Sutlej has burst its banks at Minchanabad following which water has entered over 44 villages and flooded agricultural land spreading over hundreds of acres.
At most of the places, walls of mud houses have collapsed adding to the miseries of the people.
The affected farmers have said that water has taken away from them all their belongings so much so that now they are without shelters and have nothing to eat.
They have appealed to the government to waive their taxes.
They have also requested the government to draw up a comprehensive plan for their rehabilitation.
Asserting that farmers are the backbone of the country’s economy, they have demanded the government to give them subsidy on fertilizers, seed and pesticides.
River Ravi is in low flood at Mill Fatyana in Kamalia as 51,000 cusecs of water is passing through the river.—INP
