A Punjab minister Thursday made an urgent plea to the Centre to accord the rain-ravaged state a special package “without waiting for a formal request” from the AAP dispensation even as officials said that 6,600 people have been evacuated from the flood-affected areas and drones deployed to deliver medicines and dry ration to affected people.Criticising the Centre and neighbouring states for their indifference towards Punjab during the flood crisis, Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal Thursday said that the same states that pushed for diverting Punjab’s waters just months ago are now turning their backs when the state needs help.Speaking to reporters while on a tour to flood-affected villages of Ferozepur and Fazilka, Goyal called Punjab the food bowl of the nation and asserted that it is the Centre’s moral responsibility to announce a special relief package without waiting for a formal request. “Those who have been consuming Punjab’s water resources should also come forward to help us in this hour of crisis,” he said after reviewing flood relief operations at Kawaan Wali Pattan in Fazilka.Lauding Punjabis for standing together in this testing time, he said that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and his ministers are leaving no stone unturned in relief and rescue operations. “All teams are on the ground, relief centres have been set up, and evacuees are being shifted to safer shelters with arrangements for food, water, and other essentials. The CM has even deployed his personal helicopter for rescue and relief operations. Orders for special girdawari have already been issued, and compensation will be ensured. Efforts are also being made to address the scarcity of fodder and straw in affected villages,” he said, added, “In Fazilka, over 100 people were rescued through boats Thursday alone, and seven relief camps have been set up. Nearly 13 camps have been put up in Ferozepur, and over 2,000 people have been rescued. Nearly 160 medical teams have been constituted to provide round-the-clock health care.”During a tour of flood-affected areas in Amritsar, Mann Thursday asked officials to further intensify the pace of relief and rescue measures, besides providing all necessary material to families stranded at inundated villages.Villages in Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Fazilka, Kapurthala, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Hoshiarpur and Amritsar districts are worst-affected.The Army, Border Security Force, Indian Air Force and National Disaster Response Force have been deployed to carry out the evacuation and deliver relief supplies.Story continues below this ad Partially submerged houses at a flood-hit area in Gurdaspur. (Photo: PTI)The Amritsar administration deployed amphibious all-terrain off road-ATOR vehicles and boats for evacuating those stranded in the Ramdas area. An ATOR vehicle is designed to move through water and rugged terrain. The Gurdaspur authorities flew a drone to deliver medicines, dry ration, water bottles to affected people in Dera Baba Nanak, said officials.According to a statement by Jalandhar Deputy Commissioner Dr Himanshu Aggarwal and Advisor to Punjab Tourism and Cultural Affairs Department Deepak Bali, the 6,600 rescued were housed in 88 relief camps. According to the statement, in all, 835 villages have been impacted by floods. Of them, 14 are in Amritsar, 21 in Bathinda, 20 in Ludhiana, 81 in Pathankot, 20 in Fazilka, 11 in Mansa, 45 in Tarn Taran, seven in Barnala, and three in SBS Nagar. Sixty-four villages in Muktsar Sahib, 22 in Sangrur, 93 in Ferozepur, 107 in Kapurthala, 202 in Gurdaspur, 35 in Moga, 85 in Hoshiarpur, two in Rupnagar, and one each in SAS Nagar, Malerkotla, and Fatehgarh Sahib are also flooded.Of the 6,600 people evacuated, 2,007 were rescued from Ferozepur, 2,200 from Gurdaspur, 1,100 from Pathankot, 220 from Kapurthala, 1,052 from Hoshiarpur, and 20 from Moga.Meanwhile, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema assured that the situation along the Ghaggar river in Sangrur district is “fully under control” even as several villages, including CM’s native village Satoj, continued to face waterlogging.Story continues below this adCheema said that Ghaggar water level is now 744.3 feet, just 4 feet below the danger mark of 748 feet. “The reassuring fact is that the inflow into Ghaggar has already reduced, and within the next 20 hours, the level is expected to fall further. There is no need to panic,” he said.He, however, added that 18 breaches were reported in drains and rivulets across the state, of which 12 have been plugged. “Work on the remaining breaches is being carried out on war footing,” he said, adding that Rs 3.73 crore has been released for cleaning drainage systems earlier this year, but excessive rainfall in the hills and plains caused heavy silt and weed deposits.Sangrur Deputy Commissioner Rahul Chaba said that the administration was “fully prepared for any eventuality”. “We have prepared 35,000 sandbags and more are being filled. Iron nets have also been kept ready for emergencies,” he said.In Ludhiana, revenue minister Hardeep Singh Mundian Thursday visited flood-prone areas and reviewed the situation at the Sasrali Colony along the Sutlej. He said that the water level has receded, and the situation is under control.Story continues below this adHe assured that as soon as the floodwaters recede, the special girdawari will be carried out within fixed timeline.Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain has directed the irrigation department to strengthen the Dhussi Bandh by installing stone studs, sandbags, and other preventive measures to enhance its resilience.Meanwhile, relief work is on full swing in flood-affected parts of Amritsar and Gurdaspur districts.In Amritsar’s Ajnala tehsil, about 40 villages and an estimated 14,000 people have been affected. A breach in the dhussi embankment on Wednesday morning inundated a considerable area in the region.Story continues below this adArmy, NDRF and police team started evacuating villagers to safer places. Camps have been set up at Dana Mandi (Ajnala), Bhalla village Sugar Mill and Gurdwara Guru Ka Bagh. A special camp for cattle is operating at Dana Mandi with fodder and veterinary support.Heavy rain also flooded parts of East Mohan Nagar’s Chamrang Road area in Amritsar city. Water entered several homes and some families were shifted to a government school.In Gurdaspur, rising water level in Ravi flooded several areas. According to the administration, more than 2,000 people have been evacuated and 12 relief camps are operating meals are being cooked, dry rations, mattresses, biscuits and milk for infants are being provided.Ambulances and medical camps are in place. Seven NDRF teams are working with the district administration, Army and BSF, using boats and other equipment to move stranded residents and livestock to safety. Recent rescues include students and staff of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (Daboora), staff of Kerala International School (Kalanour), and a newborn and mother in Bakshiwal village.Story continues below this adAuthorities have asked residents in affected areas to use the helplines for assistance and move to designated relief camps where needed.