Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday announced the launch of ‘mission Chardi Kala’, appealing to people across the country for assistance in restoring Punjab, which has suffered extensive damage due to devastating floods.
In a video message, Mann highlighted the significant destruction caused by the recent floods, described as the worst since 1988. Sharing details to highlight the scale of devastation, Mann said, “approximately 2,300 villages were flooded, around 7 lakh people became homeless, and 20 lakh people were impacted.”
According to Mann, the floods resulted in damage to 3,200 schools, the loss of 56 lives, and the destruction of about 8,500 kilometres of roads and 2,500 bridges. Additionally, 1,400 clinics, government buildings, and 19 colleges were also severely damaged.
The initial estimates indicate the flood caused damage amounting to Rs 13,800 crore. “After floodwaters recede and ‘girdawari’ (loss assessment), the loss could be more,” he said.
Mann emphasi