4407 SEWERMEN ROUND-THE-CLOCK RESTORING SEWERAGE NETWORKS: DR. RAVJOT SINGH

543 FOGGING MACHINES, RS.10,000 LOANS AND PMAY–URBAN SUPPORT EXTENDED TO AFFECTED PEOPLE

Chandigarh, September 21:Punjab Local Government Minister Dr. Ravjot Singh today informed that the department has mounted a wide-ranging flood relief and restoration campaign across the affected towns and villages. He said that apart from general measures such as debris clearance, carcass disposal, sewer cleaning and repair of public assets, the department has initiated targeted actions to ensure speed and efficiency in recovery efforts.

Dr. Ravjot Singh stated that each officer has been assigned a specific jurisdiction under an “Area Responsibility Plan” with directions to prepare a detailed account of damages to houses, shops, roads, sewerage and other infrastructure. Immediate steps for repair and restoration have already been initiated and tenders are being processed on war footing to enable early execution.

Highlighting measures for public health and safety, the Cabinet Minister said that stray animals are being systematically taken into custody by municipal teams. With the assistance of the Health Department, anti-rabies injections are being administered to stray dogs while vaccination drives for cattle and other animals are being organized in all affected areas. Special shelters have been identified to house stray cattle and animals until conditions return to normal. These steps are crucial to control stray animal movement, prevent infections and ensure humane care, he added.

Giving details of sanitation restoration, Dr. Ravjot Singh said that the Government has placed sewerage restoration at the centre of its relief operations. A total of 4,407 sewermen have been deployed round the clock across flood-affected Urban Local Bodies to clear clogged sewers and prevent health hazards. Mapping of sewer networks has been undertaken to identify heavily clogged and damaged stretches while modern machinery and manual intervention are being combined for large-scale de-silting. Critical institutions such as hospitals, schools, marketplaces and densely populated neighbourhoods are being accorded top priority.

He further pointed out that the safety and well-being of sewermen remains a top concern with protective gear, mechanized tools and medical support being provided to those working in hazardous conditions. Along with immediate clearance, repair of damaged sewer lines, manholes and pumping stations is underway to restore long-term functionality of the system.

The Cabinet Minister also mentioned that the relief campaign is not confined to sewerage alone. Restoration of damaged houses and shops under PMAY–Urban 2.0 has begun for eligible beneficiaries. Financial assistance is being extended to street vendors through a special campaign from September 17 to October 2 offering loans of Rs.10,000 with a total credit facility of up to Rs.80,000 under guarantee coverage.

Simultaneously, debris removal and scientific carcass disposal are being carried out to restore hygienic conditions while 543 fogging machines have been deployed for mass operations to curb vector-borne diseases, he added.

Dr. Ravjot Singh categorically said that daily monitoring reports are being compiled under the supervision of municipal engineers to ensure effective outcomes. He said that the entire operation is being closely monitored at both district and state levels. Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners and Executive Officers are directly supervising progress while a centralized monitoring cell is tracking daily reports from ULBs to ensure transparency. Ward-level committees and community volunteers are also extending vital support in identifying blocked points and assisting in ground-level execution.

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PROTECTING AGRARIAN BACKBONE: OVER 1.75 LAKH LIVESTOCK IMMUNISED AGAINST HS DISEASE WITHIN A WEEK

*• Set up over 1300 camps to deliver medical aid to 2.52 lakh animals, says Gurmeet Singh Khudian*

*• Animal Husbandry Minister directs officials to complete mass-inoculation drive by end of this month*

Chandigarh, September 21:In a swift and effective response to protect Punjab's agrarian economy from the floods aftermath, the Punjab Government has successfully immunised over 1.75 lakh livestock against Haemorrhagic Septicaemia (HS) disease within a remarkably short span of just one week. The targeted inoculation drive, covering 713 villages across flood-affected districts, has helped avert a potential animal health crisis, informed S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian, Minister of Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Fisheries, Punjab.

Elaborating on the mass inoculation drive, S. Khudian revealed that the campaign, launched on September 14, is a crucial component of the state's flood rehabilitation action plan, being implemented to safeguard the primary asset and livelihood of thousands of affected farmers by protecting their livestock from potential health crisis.

Directing the department officials and field staff to complete the inoculation drive by the end of this month, the Animal Husbandry Minister stated, "This critical immunisation drive is a protective shield for the livestock, which are the backbone of Punjab's agrarian economy. Protecting the livestock is equivalent to securing the financial future of thousands of families affected by the recent floods." Notably, the districts covered under this critical initiative include Amritsar, Fazilka, Ferozepur, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Moga, Pathankot, Rupnagar and Tarn Taran.

Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh led Punjab Government’s multi-pronged animal relief action plan has made significant stride, with over 1,300 special camps set up in 713 flood-hit villages, delivering medical treatment to over 2.52 lakh animals, said S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian.

Underlining the proactive steps being taken to support livestock nutrition and health, Principal Secretary Animal Husbandry department Mr. Rahul Bhandari informed that Uromin Licks have been distributed in 428 villages and Mineral Mixture in 388 villages so far to strengthen livestock immunity. Additionally, KMnO4 crystals have also been distributing the affected villages as a preventive measure to safeguard animal health.

Animal Husbandry department's large-scale, door-to-door campaign was made possible by mobilising hundreds of veterinarians and field staff. Their relentless efforts ensured that help reached even the most remote, flood-affected areas, added Mr. Bhandari.

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TWO KEY ACCUSED INVOLVED IN JUGRAJ JUGGA’S MURDER CASE HELD FROM NAGALAND

— TARGET KILLING WAS EXECUTED ON DIRECTIONS OF FOREIGN-BASED GANGSTERS MANU AGWAN, JEESHAN AKHTAR AND GOPI NAWANSHEHARIA: DGP GAURAV YADAV

— BOTH ACCUSED ARE BEING BROUGHT TO PUNJAB AFTER OBTAINING TRANSIT REMAND FROM THE COMPETENT COURT IN NAGALAND

CHANDIGARH/BATALA, September 21:In a major breakthrough amidst the ongoing drive to make Punjab a safe and secure state as per directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) Punjab in a joint operation with Batala Police, Central Agencies, and Nagaland Police arrested two key accused involved in Jugraj Singh alias Jugga murder case, from Kohima in Nagaland, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Sunday.

Those arrested have been identified as Harmanpreet Singh alias Harman and his cousin Gurpreet Singh alias Gopi, both resident of village Kaler in As per the information, some unidentified persons had shot dead Jugraj Singh alias Jugga, a resident of Cheema Khudi in Batala, at his village on September 9, 2025.

DGP Gaurav Yadav said that preliminary investigation has revealed that this target killing was executed on the directions of foreign-based Gangsters Jaswinder Singh alias Manu Agwan, Mohammad Yasin Akhtar alias Jeeshan Akhtar, and Gopi Nawansheharia.

The DGP said that the accused are being brought to Punjab after obtaining transit remand from the competent court in Nagaland.

Sharing operation details, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) AGTF Promod Ban said that acting on reliable inputs, police teams from AGTF under the supervision of DSP AGTF Rajan Parminder in coordination with Batala Police, Central Agencies and Nagaland Police arrested both the accused persons from Hotel Broadway at New Market in Midland Colony, Kohima, Nagaland. Further investigations are ongoing in this case, he said.

In this regard, a case FIR No. 165 dated 09.09.2025 had already been registered under sections 103, 61(2) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act at Police Station Shri Hargobindpura in Batala.