Punjab Newsline | Chandigarh

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA from Ajnala, Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, met Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria on Tuesday along with a delegation to highlight the recurring flood crisis in the border constituency and seek measures for its permanent development.

Speaking to the media after the meeting, Dhaliwal said he had conveyed the concerns and suffering of the people of Ajnala to the Governor. He said the area faces severe flooding every year due to rising water levels in the Ravi and Ujh rivers.

According to Dhaliwal, water from the Ujh River, which enters Punjab from Jammu and Kashmir, passes through Pathankot, Sujanpur, Dinanagar, Gurdaspur and Dera Baba Nanak before reaching Ajnala, where it causes extensive damage before flowing into Pakistan.

He said the recurring floods destroy farmers' crops, damage roads, cause damage to schools and wash away fertile agricultural land every year. The constant threat of flooding has also discouraged industries from setting up operations in the area, he added.

The delegation included sarpanches, chairpersons and Zila Parishad members from the Ajnala Assembly constituency.

Ajnala MLA said that if the Centre wants to realise the vision of a "Developed India", equal attention must be given to border areas along with major cities.

He said continued neglect of border regions would leave the country's overall development incomplete.

Dhaliwal also raised the issue of the ₹1,600-crore compensation package announced by the Prime Minister during the previous flood situation, claiming that the promised compensation has not yet been received.

He said the Governor listened carefully to the delegation's demands and assured them that he would soon arrange a meeting with the Union Jal Shakti Minister, along with the delegation, to work towards resolving the long-standing flood problem.