Five months on, rainwater still inundates fields in Bhiwani villages

About 2,000 acres of agriculture land is submerged in rainwater for the last nearly five months at Jatu Lohari village in Bhiwani district causing financial losses to the land- owning farmers who not only lost their previous kharif crops but also could not sow the next rabi crop during the ongoing season.

The farmers said they continued to suffer due to the alleged lackadaisical attitude of the authorities concerned as the rainwater could not be discharged from the fields till now. “While the previous cotton crop was completely damaged due to excessive water, we are unable to sow the rabi crops now,” said Mahipal, a farmer of the village. The farmers said that due to waterlogging, cotton plants laden with cotton balls were still standing in the fields as they could not be plucked.

The farmers alleged that the government authorities have been making several claims regarding water drainage and compensation for damaged crops. However, even after five months, the affected farmers had not received a single penny, they said, adding that those farmers who had insured their crops had not received any compensation or insurance claim. “It is a double blow to us as the kharif crop has been completely destroyed, and rabi sowing has also become impossible. In such circumstances, how will the farmers manage to sustain and support their families?,” questioned Vinod Tanwar, another farmer.

Notably, there is still standing water up to one to two ft in the fields. Around 2000 acres in the village are still waterlogged. “Now, we have left everything to fate as the water has only recently begun to dry up on its own. Only after the water level recedes will the farmers be able to access their fields,” they said.

Another farmer Jitender Tanwar said when the calamity struck, the government opened the compensation portal for the damaged crops, and the farmers registered their losses. “At that time, the government assured them of compensation and relief. However, even after five months, neither the compensation nor insurance claims have been received”. They renewed their demand to drain out the stagnant water and girdawari so that some compensation could be provided to them. The Bhiwani SDM stated that, as per the directions of the Deputy Commissioner, a committee had been constituted, and water drainage would be ensured at the earliest.