Crops over 21K acres hit, govt steps up relief ops

Tribune News Service

Sangrur, July 22

Days after a breach in the Ghaggar flooded many villages in the district, the authorities could only manage to plug three-fourths of the 100 ft breach.

As per the latest report, the overflowing Ghaggar has affected standing crop on 21,775 acres. Of this, crop on 15,569 acres was affected due to the breach in the river in the last five days.

Deputy Commissioner Ghanshyam Thori said, “The lack of required passage till the breach has delayed the operation. The water level in the Ghaggar has come down to 745.01 today, while we have plugged around 75-ft breach with only about 25 ft gap is left to be filled.”

The flooding has affected crops such as paddy, vegetables, cotton, maize and fodder over 7,392 acres in Moonak, 920 Bhundar Bhaini, 567 Surjan Bhaini, 1,883 Salegarh and 1,622 Phullad village. Apart from Ghaggar, rain has also affected 6206 acres of standing crops in Lehragaga, Andana,Sunam, Dhuri and Sangrur blocks.

Senior officials of the Agriculture Department said after remaining waterlogged for five day, the chances of survival of various crops were dim as even after plugging of the breach, the Drainage Department would not be able to dewater the fields immediately. SGPC chief Gobind Singh Longowal, said, “We have offered land in Dhamtan Sahib and Nankiana Sahib to be used to grow paddy saplings for the affected farmers.”