Admn fails to provide help to Samrala villages

Rano

VIP
Garhi (Samrala), July 7

Fearing the destruction of crops on over 40,000 acres of land submerged under water in Ludhiana and Fatehgarh Sahib, farmers of Garhi, Urna, Mushkabad, Dhande and Neelon villages blocked traffic on the Samrala-Machhiwara road for the second day today.

Even after five days, the administration has failed to take steps to pump out water from 30 flooded villages adjoining Samrala. Urna village, being the last village touching this road, is the worst affected as water from adjoining villages has accumulated here, taking the water level to 8 ft at some places.

Village sarpanch Gurpreet Singh said Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal had promised to make arrangements for food during his visit to the village yesterday.

“We are worried as almost all tube wells are dysfunctional and marginal farmers will not be in a condition to make arrangements for two meals a day in the absence of the state’s support,” said Harmel Singh of Pal Majra village.

BKU (Rajewal) chief Balbir Singh Rajewal said approximate loss incurred by farmers in the paddy crop would be between Rs 25,000- 30,000. He demanded that the state government should make immediate arrangements for compensation. “Two pumps set up to drain out water from fields were sent without fuel and people pooled in money for diesel, which points towards the indifferent attitude of the administration,” alleged the BKU president.

Ludhiana DC Rahul Tewari said work to open nullahs on the Samrala-Machhiwara road had begun. Water would recede in a few hours and farmers would be compensated for their losses as promised by the Deputy CM, the DC added.
 
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