Amritsar floods hit Ajnala hard IAS Sakshi Sawhney and ADC Rohit Gupta lead rescue and relief ops, winning praise for their on-ground efforts.
IAS Sakshi Sawhney and ADC Rohit Gupta lead flood rescue and relief efforts in Amritsar’s Ajnala region amid rising waters.
Chandigarh: With floodwaters rising in several parts of Punjab, Amritsar district facing the hit severely. The administration has mounted relief and rescue operations on a war footing. Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney and PCS Rohit Gupta, Additional Deputy Commissioner Amritsar have been leading from the front, earning praise for their hands-on presence in flood-hit villages.
Several low-lying belts of Ajnala have been inundated after heavy rainfall and rising levels of rivulets connected to the Ravi river. Families have been shifted to higher ground as water entered homes and fields, damaging crops and cutting off road access in some areas.
Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney has been supervising operations across the district, coordinating with the Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF). Control rooms have been activated to monitor the situation round-the-clock, while boats and relief equipment have been deployed to vulnerable pockets.
Sawhney, who had earlier managed Patiala during the 2023 floods, is once again in the field directing evacuations and relief. Her previous experience of handling large-scale displacement and hospital rescues has shaped the current response. In Amritsar, she has been visiting affected belts daily, interacting with residents and monitoring the functioning of relief camps.
PCS Rohit Gupta has been stationed on the ground since the start of the flooding. He has been overseeing evacuations, ensuring the delivery of food and drinking water, and coordinating medical teams for affected families. Officials said his presence in interior villages has sped up rescue efforts and provided reassurance to local residents.
Relief camps have been set up in schools and community centres where displaced families are being provided with meals, safe drinking water and basic medical facilities. The administration has also launched disinfection and fogging drives to prevent outbreaks of waterborne diseases once floodwaters begin to recede.
Residents of Ajnala said the active presence of both officers has given them confidence during the crisis. “It makes a difference when senior officials come to our village and listen to us directly,” said Gurpreet Singh, a farmer whose crops have been damaged. Another resident said the quick arrangements for elderly villagers and children helped them feel safer.
Officials noted that the situation remains critical as rainfall continues in the catchment areas of the Ravi river. The administration has urged people to avoid entering flooded zones and to cooperate with evacuation teams. Schools in flood-prone areas have been closed until further notice.
According to district authorities, the immediate priority is to safeguard human lives and provide uninterrupted relief in affected zones. Once the waters recede, attention will turn to assessing crop damage, repairing roads and restoring basic services.
For Sawhney, this marks the second time in three years that she is at the centre of flood relief operations, following her leadership in Patiala in 2023. For Gupta, the current situation is seen as a crucial test of his administrative capability in one of Punjab’s most flood-prone subdivisions.
Officials said their combined approach — visible, fearless and field-oriented — has ensured that the administration stays ahead of panic and maintains public confidence.
With forecasts indicating more rainfall in the western Himalayas, the administration in Amritsar remains on high alert. For residents of Ajnala and surrounding areas, the sight of officers leading from the front has become a key reassurance as they continue to confront the impact of the floods.
