Field markings washed away in floods, silt-hit farmers don’t know where to sow

In villages ravaged by floods along the Ravi, familiar landmarks that once defined farmers’ fields have either been swept away by the raging waters or lie buried under silt. For farmers, the soil that fed them for generations has now turned barren.

The wheat sowing season is barely six weeks away. The farmers will first have to clear the silt, which is 4 to 5-foot deep at many places, and level their fields afresh before they can sow.

However, they will only be able to do so once the floodwaters fully recede and the soil hardens enough for tractors to move across it.

“We have already lost our paddy crop. We fear that we will not be able to sow wheat too. It will take at least three to four weeks for the silt to dry. Moreover, roads are broken,” said Harpinder Singh of Nangal Sohal, his voice heavy with despair. The scale of destruction is daunting. Surjit Singh, a small farmer from Ghonewal, owns just one acre of land. “At present, I do not have the heart to visit my field. My neighbours told me there is a 40 to 45-foot-deep crater in my field,” he said.

While at some places, the farmland bears deep craters, elsewhere, it is under silt. Fields closest to the river belt are the worst hit. Villages far from the breach have also not been spared. “Six to 10 inches of silt can be seen in most fields. And water is still flowing, which means more will be deposited,” said Preet Singh, another farmer.

However, the ordeal does not end with the clearing of the silt. The lost field boundaries mean a fresh “nishandehi” (demarcation of land) will be required so that farmers can identify what belongs to them.

The announcement by the government allowing farmers to sell sand from their fields has brought little solace. “It requires huge resources. The permission is only till November 15. Where will we store this sand, and who will buy it? In the end, those already in the sand business will purchase it from us at throwaway prices,” said Joginder Singh, a marginal farmer.

For the farmers, the challenge is immense. Their fields, once symbols of resilience and abundance, now resemble wastelands. Yet as the sowing season approaches, they have little choice but to battle against time, silt and uncertainty to reclaim not just their crops, but their very livelihood.