Chandigarh, September 16, 2025: Punjab has stepped up sanitization and disease-prevention measures in flood-affected areas, with Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains personally supervising operations in Nangal city, officials said Tuesday.
The state government launched large-scale cleanliness, fogging, and disinfection campaigns soon after the floods receded to prevent outbreaks of waterborne and vector-borne diseases. Bains joined workers on the ground to oversee the effort, saying the government’s priority was “to reach every affected family swiftly.”
“This is not just a formality—it is being implemented on the ground,” Bains said. “Wherever there is a risk of disease outbreak, quick action will be taken.” Residents in Nangal said the minister’s participation reassured them that relief efforts were being taken seriously.
Officials said the initiative is not limited to human health. The government has also rolled out special vaccination drives for livestock in rural areas, offering relief to farmers who feared losing their animals to infections in the aftermath of the floods. The step, they added, was intended both to address the immediate crisis and to support long-term resilience in the agricultural sector.
The sanitization campaign has already covered streets, neighborhoods, and villages, with fogging and spraying conducted in areas identified as high-risk. Bains’ presence in Nangal was described as symbolic of the government’s approach of working among people rather than from behind office desks.
“What makes this effort unique is that ministers and legislators themselves are monitoring relief activities,” a senior official said. “The government is not confined to paperwork—it is active on the ground.”
Villagers said the door-to-door approach was unlike previous relief efforts. For many, it was the first time they had seen ministers and officials step directly into localities after a disaster. “The government is knocking on our doors itself,” one resident remarked.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has urged his cabinet to remain visible in the field, calling the campaign a reflection of what governance should look like in times of crisis. The state has also framed the campaign as more than just sanitation, describing it as a message of solidarity.
“What is reaching the villages is not just medicines and cleaning drives, but also a sense that the government treats people like family,” the Health Department said in a statement.
With ministers, legislators, and employees participating in person, officials said the campaign has strengthened public trust. Residents described it as a “new ray of hope,” adding that the government’s visible presence has given them confidence in the recovery effort.
