Delhi AAP Chief Leads Relief Effort Amid Punjab Floods, 37 Dead as Crisis Persists

In response to devastating floods wrought by incessant heavy rains in Punjab, Saurabh Bharadwaj, the Delhi president of the Aam Aadmi Party, extended assistance by transporting relief materials to the flood-stricken Ajnala village, within Amritsar district, on Thursday. Bharadwaj commended the tireless efforts of Punjab AAP volunteers and acknowledged the contributions made by civilians.

"The team here is working very hard. Punjab AAP volunteers are working day and night. Whatever is possible is being done... I think even the common people are extending help. This is important because Punjab, Punjabis, and Sikhs have reached out and helped first in places anywhere in the world whenever it was needed," Bharadwaj emphasized. Earlier, Punjab Education Minister Harbhajan Singh also provided aid in Ajnala.

The flooding has claimed 37 lives, as reported by the Punjab state government on Thursday. Approximately 1,655 villages, including Gurdaspur, Ferozepur, Amritsar, Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala, and Sangrur, have been significantly impacted, affecting 1,75,216 hectares of cultivated land. In response, authorities have ramped up rescue and relief operations, utilizing drones to distribute supplies in Amritsar and initiating evacuations along the Sutlej.

Urban areas have not been spared. In Zirakpur, S.A.S. Nagar (Mohali) district, a boundary wall collapse at a residential complex heightened security fears among residents. "I am a resident of Maya Garden Phase 2 apartments, Zirakpur. As you can see, the boundary wall of our society has completely collapsed. Due to this, there is a threat from snakes, stray dogs, and other animals... it also poses a serious security risk," a resident told ANI. Persistent waterlogging and traffic disruptions continue to plague Zirakpur amid ongoing rainfall.

(With inputs from agencies.)