Punjab: Officials say visits by dignitaries are hampering relief work

Punjab: According to several officials and villagers, security protocols and logistics processes during VIP visits are causing huge disruptions in flood rescue and relief operations. They also complained that during such visits, the VIPs “obviously ask their followers to focus the TV cameras on them”. On Friday, hundreds of policemen, some of them from neighbouring districts, were deployed across the city to ensure no untoward incident took place when Union ministers Shivraj Chouhan and Ravneet Bittu arrived in the city.

Expressing concern over the VIP visits, a senior official said, “Officials whose responsibility is to provide aid and relief to the villagers were forced to accompany the leaders all day.” Another senior official said they were yet to meet any politician “who came without a personal photographer”. Lakhwinder Singh of Lassian village said, “More than a dozen leaders have promised financial help, but we have not received any help yet.” When a dignitary visits, government officials spend a lot of time briefing him on the situation. “Nine times out of ten, it’s for a photo opportunity rather than to actually assist in the rescue operation,” said one legislator.