Farmers must get Rs 50K per acre as compensation: Panel

As the farmers in flood-hit Lohian continue to suffer even after three weeks, Punjab Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee district president Salwinder Singh Janian talks to Jalandhar Tribune about their problems.

“Floodwater came this side on July 10 night. Twenty-one days have passed, but my fellow villagers from Janian, Gatta Mundi Kasu, Mundi Shehrian, Mundi Chohlian, Mandala Chhana and Mehraj villages are still in waters. There is around one to two feet water on roads and two to three feet water in the fields. Unfortunately, none of us would be able to re-transplant paddy,” says Janian.

“Had there been no floods, our paddy crop would have fetched us Rs 60,000 to Rs 70,000 per acre in the mandi. Going by the losses we incurred, my submission to the government is that all those farmers, who have suffered 100 per cent loss, must be compensated at least upto Rs 50,000 per acre,” says Janian.

“Farmers like me have been doubly hit. As the floodwaters receded initially, I had got paddy re-transplanted on 14 to 15 acres in my village but the water level again came up and my crop got destroyed for the second time,” says Janian.

“It would take four more days to completely plug the breach at Gatta Mundi Kasu. By Friday, the river water will stop flowing directly to these villages. All the low-lying villages would not be able to get rid of standing water upto a month or whenever it dries up naturally. The water would have to be pumped out with motors after that,” says Janian.

“As of date, we all have to wade through the floodwaters for a kilometre or so. We use a bike after that to go to the market areas. Most villagers here have shifted cattle to farms of their relatives ever since. Their children have not returned and are already feeling home-sick. Their studies remain badly affected. We are still getting contaminated water supply. So, we drink only bottled water,” Janian added.

(As told to Deepkamal Kaur)