In a significant action, Executive Engineer Nitin Sood, Junior Engineer Sachin Thakur and SDO Arun Kumar were suspended.
The Punjab government has suspended three officials in connection with the collapse of the Madhopur headworks that resulted due to heavy rains in Punjab earlier this month.
In a significant action, Executive Engineer Nitin Sood, Junior Engineer Sachin Thakur and SDO (Sub-divisional Officer) Arun Kumar of the water resources department were suspended.
Notably, due to the collapsing of the floodgates, the flood water rapidly entered the villages causing widespread destruction. A department official also lost his life during the incident.
The incident is a grim reminder of department negligence and administrative failure that also resulted in the loss of life, prompting authorities to action and suspending the officials for mishandling of the situation.
According to the information, the floodgates of Madhopur Headworks were breached on August 27 and heavy inflow of water into the Ravi water was reported. Due to the breach, at least 50 people, who were involved in the repair work of the gate, got trapped. They were eventually rescued with the help of a helicopter.
MHA directs Punjab to submit flood damage report within three months
The Union Government has declared the Punjab Floods a disaster of ‘severe nature’.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has asked the state government to send an assessment report of the damage caused by floods within three months.
Sources said that the Ministry of Home Affairs on September 16, intimated the state government the decision recognising the severity of the floods.
It was said that in such conditions, financial aid is provided through the State Disaster Response Fund, supplementing it with funds from the National Disaster Response Fund after assessment based on the visit of an inter-ministerial team.
Union Ministers Jitendra Singh and Jitin Prasada had visited flood-hit areas in Pathankot and Gurdaspur to assess the damage.
Punjab Chief Secretary, KAP Sinha, yesterday convened a meeting of heads of all departments and deputy commissioners to prepare a detailed assessment report.
The decision would mean higher allocation of funds; exact details of the implications of the MHA order were being examined, said sources.
