Chandigarh, September 7 — The Punjab cabinet will meet on Monday to review the state’s flood situation, with Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann expected to chair the session virtually from Fortis Hospital in Mohali, officials said.
The meeting, initially scheduled for Friday, was postponed after Mann was admitted to the hospital with exhaustion and a low heart rate. Hospital authorities said Sunday that the chief minister is recuperating well and his vital signs are stable. He is likely to participate in the noon meeting through video conferencing.
According to officials, the cabinet will review relief and rescue measures underway in flood-hit areas and may also discuss a policy allowing farmers to extract sand deposited in their fields by floodwaters. The sand and silt deposits have become a major hurdle for farmers preparing their land for the next sowing season.
AAP leader Manish Sisodia said Sunday that the government will ensure farmers are permitted to remove silt from their farmland. “Silt accumulation is the biggest concern of farmers right now. They must be given full freedom to clear their fields so they can begin sowing again,” he said.
Punjab is grappling with its worst floods since 1988, with widespread damage to crops, homes and infrastructure across multiple districts.
