Flood-hit farmers fail to sow wheat crop as fields still buried under silt

Thousands of acres of land situated in the Mand area of several villages along the river in Tarn Taran, which were completely damaged during the floods when river water entered the fields, have still not been made cultivable. The affected farmers not only lost their paddy crop at the time but have also failed to sow the next wheat crop.

A satisfactory aspect of the situation is that many social organisations and several religious bodies have come forward to help the affected farmers in cleaning the vast stretches of land filled with sand and silt, which is not an easy task. In the Mand area of Chamba Kalan village, a total of 1,500 acres were damaged in the floods, out of which wheat could be sown in only 500 acres.

Master Dalbir Singh, former sarpanch Balkar Singh, Pargat Singh Chamba, Ajitpal Singh and others said that about 300 farmers owning 1,000 acres are facing acute hardship and have been pushed to the brink of destitution. They said they have neither received compensation for the damaged crop nor has any government official or MLA offered to help them in making their land cultivable. The situation is the same in Mundapind village, where wheat could not be sown on 1,200 acres due to the extent of land damage.

Followers of Baba Sukha Singh and Baba Hakam Singh of Kar Sewa Samparda, Sarhali Sahib, have deployed tractor-trolleys for the last three weeks to help restore the damaged land of farmers at Dhunn, Karmunwala, Gharka and other Mand area villages. The sect is currently restoring 60 acres belonging to 17 farmers at Bhojoke village in Patti tehsil.

There are a large number of flood-affected farmers who have still not been paid compensation. The district administration has not been able to provide data on the land damaged due to the floods.

Nachhatar Singh, district president of the Kirti Kisan Union, said the state government has totally failed to provide the due compensation to the affected farmers. Deputy Commissioner Rahul, when contacted, neither picked up the phone nor replied to messages sent on WhatsApp in this regard.