Ludhiana, Aug. 27 -- A sense of alarm gripped villagers near Dhulewal on Thursday as the swollen Sutlej river began eating into the dhussi bandh-a long-standing, fragile stretch that guards vast tracts of farmland and settlements. With heavy rains pushing the river's water level higher, erosion threatened to breach the embankment, forcing the administration into an urgent damage-control operation. Police, irrigation officials, and local leaders rushed to the spot as villagers watched the swirling waters lash against the protective structures. Repair work began immediately, with sandbags and boulders being dumped to reinforce the weakening bandh. The scene at Dhulewal turned into a hive of activity, with police, irrigation staff, and locals working shoulder-to-shoulder to hold back the Sutlej's advance. For now, the water remains below danger levels - but the mood along the bandh is tense, as all eyes remain fixed on the river's rising fury. "This is a sensitive point, and whenever floods loom, it becomes vulnerable. We cannot afford to take chances," said SDM Rajneesh Arora, who confirmed that nearly 50,000 cusecs of water is flowing through the Sutlej - well below the danger mark but powerful enough to weaken embankment edges. "In 2019, the level crossed 1.5 lakh cusecs without a breach. Right now, precaution is our priority." Top officials, including SSP (Khanna) Jyoti Yadav, MLA Jagtar Singh Diyalpura, SP(D) Pawanjeet, and SDM Arora, were on site, personally supervising the emergency response. SSP Yadav assured residents: "Police have deployed men at vulnerable points. We are on round-the-clock patrol to ensure the safety of people and property." Villagers, however, remain uneasy. Standing by the riverbank, several farmers voiced fears for their fields already being nibbled away by the waters. "The Sutlej is unforgiving - if the bandh gives way, we lose everything," one farmer said, watching anxiously as trucks unloaded stone-filled bags. MLA Diyalpura struck a defiant tone, insisting that the Punjab government is prepared for any flood situation. "Protecting lives and livelihoods is our foremost duty. Work is underway to strengthen the dhussi bandh, and no breach will be allowed. Some are spreading rumors for political gain, but the reality is that we are in control," he told the media....