AMRITSAR:  Urging the Punjab government to take flood-control measures immediately, the Dal Khalsa Monday expressed its grief on the lost of 12 lives and 25,000 acres of standing crop due to flash floods.
 

In a statement, party general secretary Kanwarpal Singh said the threat given by the BBMB was a serious one as it reminds us of the times of the late eighties when hundreds of Punjabis lost their lives and their properties were destroyed because the BBMB authorities released the water without any warning and in haste. 
 
It was a natural calamity affecting a wide crosssection of people, he said. Expressing sympathy with the people who have been affected, he said it was a grim situation warranting immediate attention of the government and the NGO's. He said floods were at their devastating worst in Punjab for the third time since September 1988 and July 1993. 
 
We appeal to chief minister Parkash Singh Badal to announce exemplary relief for affected families. We also urge Indian and international aid agencies to come to Punjab for relief and succour. 
 
Since the waters were coming from Himachal Pardesh, it was the primary responsibility of the Central government to immediately send the aid team to asisst and support the Punjab government in managing the crisis. He said it was ironic that Punjabis were at recieving end. On one hand, there is a continuos loot of river waters of Punjab by non-riparian states and on other Punjabis were facing heavy loss both physically and economically due to widespread rainfall in HP.