Drain breach inundates cotton crop

Our Correspondent

Abohar, July 5

A breach in the Abulkhurana drain that emanates from Lambi segment submerged cotton and other crops in 200 acres at Bahadukhera and Dhaba Kokrian villages in the subdivision on Thursday.

Bhartiya Kisan Union activists said they had submitted memorandums three times this year to the administration to draw their attention to the growth of hyacinth in over 5-km stretch in the Abulkhurana drain.

The hyacinth hindered the flow of water in the drain that overflowed late last night triggering 40-ft wide breach.

Farmers Gurcharan Singh, Darshan Singh, Naginder and Sita Ram Chalana said Drainage Department officials visited the affected area on Thursday but just expressed sympathies with farmers claiming that no funds were available to plug the breach.

Farmers said the gushing water may affect Sardarpura village. If efforts to plug the breach were not made immediately, water might enter Dutaranwali.

Alert farmers avert breach in canal

Muktsar: Farmers’ alertness averted a major tragedy in Lambi on Wednesday night. Soil erosion created a cavity along the Rajasthan feeder canal on the Vanwala-Kakhanwali road and they immediately filled it up. “The soil is loose and Tuesday showers could be the cause of erosion,” said Angrez Singh, a farmer from Kakhanwali village.  He added: “After some youngsters informed us about the soil erosion, we made public announcements, seeking help from villagers. Within no time, a hundred people joined us and started filling up the cavity with soil. It was not raining last night and that worked in our favour.” TNS