Army helps to control floods

Situation in flood ravaged districts of Punjab and Haryana further worsened on Friday as fresh breaches in Hansi Butana canal in Kaithal and Ghaggar in Sangrur district left several villages marooned even as army and other authorities were trying to plug the breaches.

The fresh breaches in Hansi Butana canal and Ghaggar had further compounded problems with army personnel summoned to plug these at the earliest.

Meanwhile, the road traffic on the Ambala-Hisar highway remained disrupted due to a 30 feet breach on road, officials said, adding army personnel were trying hard to restore traffic on the road. Meanwhile, a senior railway official told media in Chandigarh that the rail traffic had been restored on Ambala-Chandigarh railway line.
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Situation worsens in flood-hit Punjab, Haryana

Colonel Sidhu who had raised the 18th Punjab Infantry cremated

Tribune News Service Patiala, December 20
Vir Chakra awardee Col (Retd) Joginder Singh Sidhu who passed away yesterday evening was cremated with full state honour at Daun farms near Bahadurgarh in Patiala this afternoon.

Besides armed force personnel, cops, bureaucrats, representatives of various political parties and religious institutions, people from all walks of life were present at the funeral. Col (retd) Sidhu’s son-in-law IG Guriqbal Singh Bhullar lit the pyre.

Notably, Colonel Sidhu, maternal grandfather of Mohali SSP Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, had died, following a prolonged illness in Patiala at the age of 95. Colonel Sidhu had raised the 18th Punjab Infantry in the Indian Army at the time of war against China. For his bravery and meritorious services, Colonel Sidhu was bestowed with Vir Chakra by the union government.

Among those who paid tributes to the departed soul include chairman of District Planning Committee, Patiala and officer-bearers of the Ex-Servicemen Association.