Farmers say dust damaging crops, want link road widened

Bharat Khanna

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, February 16

With a diversion made through villages for construction of an over-bridge at the railway crossing near Bhai Bakhtaur village in the district, villagers have to face problems as the dust rising due to the traffic is affecting the wheat crop.

Farmers fear that they would have to face loss of yield this time and have to double their efforts to save their crop.

They have demanded that another link road should be constructed. They said there was a risk to the lives of residents due to the heavy flow of traffic passing through the diversion.

The present road is too small and it becomes almost impossible for heavy vehicles to cross at a time.

“My one acre land was mortgaged earlier. I got it released this year and sowed wheat. The clouds of dust remain round the clock above the fields near the link road. My field is along the link road, which is now the main road for all vehicles, including buses and trucks. This is the only way being used by commuters from Bathinda to Mansa. The government should pay us compensation for this. At least this link road should have been constructed well before starting the construction work of the ROB at the Bhai Bakhtaur railway crossing,” said farmer Amritpal Sharma of Maisarkahan.

Sukhjit Singh, a farmer and resident of Bhai Bakhtaur village, said, “It has become very difficult for us to bring fodder for our buffaloes on our bullock carts. Heavy vehicles ply round the clock. There is a threat to our lives whenever we take this road. At least the road should be broadened for vehicles to move smoothly.”