Sidhu to pay Rs 24 lakh to farmers who lost 300-acre crop in fire

Charanjit Singh Teja

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, April 23

Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu today announced to give Rs24-lakh compensation from his pocket to farmers of four villages whose wheat crop over 300 acres was gutted in fire on Friday night.

Sidhu along with Deputy Commissioner Kamaldeep Singh Sangha and other district officials visited Othian, Salempura, Joans and Dhariwal Bagga villages and met the affected farmers.

Sidhu said they lost their crop due to negligence of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL). “I have talked to the Chief Secretary about the compensation. As per the provision, the PSPCL will give Rs8,000 per acre. But I feel it is inadequate, so I decided to contribute an equal amount (Rs24 lakh) from my pocket.”

Sidhu said he would still meet the Chief Minister and urge him to increase the amount of compensation. “The compensation should not be less than Rs15,000 per acre. I will make an effort to get it approved,” he said.

Talking to the media, Sidhu said the residents of the area had repeatedly voted for him. “Fortunately, the Congress is in power in the state and the farmers need not have to worry. Capt Amarinder Singh has already promised to waive the farm loans. We will make a policy aiming at supplementing the farmers’ income so that they do not have to take loans,” he said.

Sidhu also announced to provide fire tenders at Rajasansi and Ajanala to tackle fire incidents.

Deputy Commissioner Kamaldeep Singh Sangha said he would conduct the girdawari (survey) soon and coordinate with the PSPCL to facilitate an early disbursal of compensation.

Soon, auto-trip system to check short-circuit fires 

Phagwara: Power and Irrigation Minister Rana Gurjit Singh has instructed PSPCL Chairman and Principal Secretary to set up a state-level ‘monitoring cell’ in view of the increasing incidents of fire in the fields or other places mostly due to short-circuit in the power lines. The cell will work round the clock and in coordination with the Weather Department to introduce an ‘auto-trip’ system at a specified wind velocity to prevent further damage. OC

Wheat set ablaze over land dispute

Fazilka: Tension gripped Khere Ke Uttar village of Jalalabad subdivision when some persons set on fire wheat crop on about 23 acres reportedly belonging to a SAD leader in the village over a land dispute. Former chairman, market committee, Jalalabad, Davinder Singh Babbal - reportedly owing allegiance to the SAD - has alleged that some persons in a bid to grab the land torched the crop. The crop on 18 acres was reduced to ashes while the remaining crop was saved. Babbal reportedly harvested the saved crop. There had been a dispute between Babbal and one Gurcharan Singh over the ownership of the land. oc

Abohar: Some wheat bags were damaged in fire at the grain market on Sunday. The incident took place due to sparking in electrical wires. The fire brigade staff rushed to the site and doused the flames. OC

Procurement slow at some places: VB

Chandigarh: In surprise visits by the VB in more than 100 grain markets of the state, it has been  found the procurement is running smoothly except for minor aberrations like the process being a “little slow at places”. These shortcomings have been pointed out to the heads concerned. Chief Director Vigilance BK Uppal, in a press release on Sunday, said the lifting at some places was slow because of the bad weather in the past few days. tns