Panjab Flood Toll: 51 Lives Lost, 387K People Displaced & 528K Acres Crops Destroyed

As of 8 Sep, 51 lives are lost, some people are missing; 2,050 villages are affected; 23,015 people have been evacuated; 387,898 people have been displaced. 123 relief camps are sheltering 5,416 individuals; 200K people are impacted; 85% of the flood-hit population in 7 districts. 528K acres of crops in 18 districts, about 30% of the entire farmland in Panjab  is destroyed; and 5 lakh trees uprooted. Rivers Satluj and Ghaggar's waters are still breaking embankments and flooding fields, though the water levels have reduced. The Panjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann was admitted to Fortis hospital on 5 Sep after he complained of exhaustion. He conducted a Cabinet meeting from hospital and approved USD 4,535 for deaths due to floods and USD 226 per acre for affected farmers. A major demand was that farmers whose fields are inundated be permitted to sell sand from their fields. The cabinet has given permission but has yet to notify the order. The cabinet gave farmers a six-month exemption from loan repayment and payment of interest. It said that dairy farmers and other animal owners shall be compensated after registering their loss. There is no word on farmers who have lost land to floods. There have been many such instances along the three main rivers of Panjab. No word on laborers who have lost homes and work. Given the sand on fields, farmers won't be able to clear fields to sow wheat in the next month. They have rejected the package and are demanding USD 1,133 per acre for two seasons of paddy and wheat. Panjab has declared all schools open. On 1 Sep, the Central Industrial Security Force took over the security of Bhakra and Nangal dams. In May, the Nangal Dam was in focus when the Aam Aadmi Party workers, led by Mann, sat in protest and did not allow the Bhakra Beas Management Board to release extra water to Haryana and had posted the Panjab police on Nangal dam. The Panjab police will now be given lesser important tasks and Panjab will have no say on the dams (earlier coverage).