Punjab: 20,000 acres of paddy, cotton crops submerged in Fazilka
Incessant rains over the past few days have inundated nearly 20,000 acres of standing crops in Fazilka. Farmers have accused the administration of not taking timely action.
The worst-affected is the Fazilka sub-division, where official figures confirm damage to paddy and cotton crops on over 11,700 acres of land in at least 20 villages. Farmers blame clogged drains and lack of pre-monsoon cleaning for the flooding.
"No arrangements have been made. We are on our own," complained Gurmeet Singh, a resident of Sarjana village. "My entire crop has been destroyed and there is no fodder for the cattle," he said.
Taking stock of the situation on Tuesday, Deputy Commissioner Amarpreet Kaur Sandhu said pumps have been installed to drain out the water.
Sub-divisional officer (drainage) Jagdeep Singh said the floods occurred when rainwater from higher areas entered the lower areas of Fazilka.
Farmers of Tahliwala Bodla, Singhpura and Chahal villages, where crops on around 1,500 acres have been affected, blocked the Fazilka-Malaut road and demanded immediate drainage.
Sanpaanch Sunil Kumar of Tahliwala Bodla said standing crops on around 1,500 acres have been destroyed.
Former cabinet minister Surjit Singh Jiyani, who visited the flood-affected areas, said the administration should have made a concrete plan for drainage of rainwater.
