In a significant humanitarian move, Punjab CM Bhagwant Singh Mann on Wednesday announced that the state govt’s helicopter would be dedicated to evacuating stranded people and delivering relief supplies to families marooned in flood-hit areas.
CM Bhagwant : “The people have given us this helicopter through their overwhelming mandate, and now we are utilizing it for their service in this hour of crisis,” said the Chief Minister.
During his extensive tour of the flood-affected regions in Gurdaspur,CM Bhagwant Mann noted that many residents were trapped in submerged villages requiring urgent assistance. To ensure their quick evacuation, he directed that the state helicopter be deployed exclusively for relief operations, while he himself would travel by road for official visits.
The CM also shared that flood control rooms have been established across all districts, with the government committed to compensating citizens fully for the losses suffered due to incessant rainfall. He emphasized that he was closely monitoring the situation, receiving constant updates from district administrations on water levels and ongoing relief efforts.
Mann reiterated that the state government was duty-bound to protect lives and property, ensuring that aid reached even the remotest corners. He highlighted that Ministers, MLAs, and senior officers were already stationed in their constituencies to personally supervise rescue and relief work, with Deputy Commissioners and SSPs expediting operations in their districts.
He further assured people that extensive relief measures, including a special girdawari (damage assessment survey), had been ordered to record all losses—whether of crops, livestock, homes, or other property. The Chief Minister pledged fair and transparent assessments, promising full compensation for every rupee lost by affected families.
“Providing relief and safeguarding our people is our top priority. No effort will be spared in these testing times,” Mann affirmed.