Two Opposition parties in Punjab have separately written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking urgent central assistance foe state, which has been hit by one of worst floods in decades.The letters have been written by Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa on behalf of the Congress and by Sunil Jakhar, the state BJP chief.In his letter, Bajwa said that over the past week, devastating floods have claimed the lives of 23 people and ravaged 1,018 villages across state. “The situation on the ground is extremely grim. Thousands of families remain stranded in inundated villages without access to food, clean drinking water, medicines, or proper shelter,” he said.Pointing out that more than 3 lakh acres of farmland now lie inundated, Bajwa said the flood has destroyed standing crops and crippled the rural economy. “In districts of Pathankot, Hoshiarpur, Rupnagar, Barnala, Gurdaspur, and Sultanpur Lodhi, people are struggling to survive, while farmers have seen their standing crops completely destroyed by the overflowing Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej rivers,” wrote Bajwa.Also Read | Punjab floods in numbers: 1,018 villages affected, 61,632 hectares of farmland submergedJakhar too, in his letter, highlighted the “catastrophic natural disaster” that has hit the state, which he termed as integral to India’s food security and national resilience. Jakhar said regions along the Pakistan border—from Bhoa Assembly constituency to Fazilka—and districts like Kapurthala are among the worst affected. The meteorological department’s forecast of continued heavy rainfall in the coming days could further worsen the situation, he warned.“The floods have marooned large sections of Punjab’s population, displacing families and devastating livelihoods. Thousands of acres of crops — vital to both the state’s economy and the nation’s food supply — lie submerged and destroyed,” he wrote.Bajwa, meanwhile, said in his letter that the floods in Punjab was not just a natural disaster, but a humanitarian crisis. Bajwa said the scale of destruction is beyond the capacity of Punjab to handle alone. “The state urgently requires the support of the central government to provide immediate relief and ensure long-term recovery. I humbly request you to kindly announce a special central relief package for Punjab; provide compensation to families of the deceased and farmers who have lost their crops, ensure medical relief, food supplies, and rehabilitation support for displaced families, and assist in the reconstruction of damaged roads, schools, and homes,” the Congress leader wrote.Story continues below this adAlso Read | Madhopur Barrage Gate collapse: Punjab serves notice to private firm that assessed gates’ structural strengthHe also asked the Centre to launch a long-term flood management plan for Punjab, including strengthening embankments, desilting rivers, and coordinating water release with neighbouring states.“I also earnestly appeal to you, Prime Minister, to personally visit Punjab to witness the scale of devastation and reassure the affected families. Punjab has always stood with the nation – safeguarding our borders and feeding the entire country. Today, Punjab seeks the nation’s support in its hour of need,” Bajwa wrote.Jakhar, on his part, appreciated the central government’s support through the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and financial assistance, but stressed that the scale of this calamity demands “additional and urgent intervention.” He urged the PM to deploy central assessment teams immediately to evaluate the ground situation and announce a special relief package to meet the needs of the affected population and aid the state’s recovery.“Swift intervention to support Punjab in its hour of need will provide hope and relief to thousands of affected Punjabis,” Jakhar wroteStory continues below this adThe letters by the two leaders comes two days after Punjab Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal also said that the Centre must provide a special package to the state.