Floods tested farmers’ resilience, populism salvaged some lost ground for administration

Aparna Banerji

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Jalandhar, December 28

While the year was ushered in amid benefits accruing from the 300 units of free power announced by the AAP government in state, 2023 is all set to be rung out amid the din created by a slew of schemes including the ‘Sarkar Tuhade Dwar’ and ‘Mukhmantri Teerath Yatra’. It is the Punjab government’s policies and populism that ensured limelight for the ruling dispensation during the year.

After the Jalandhar Lok Sabha bypoll win by the Aam Aadmi Party earlier this year, the state government announced projects and reach-outs for the Jalandhar Municipal Corporation, local residents and industry. A special Cabinet meet announced ‘Sarkar Tuhade Dwar’, four days after the bypoll during which Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann granted Rs 95.16 crore to the Jalandhar Municipal Corporation.

Girdawari woes

While the devastation caused by floods in more than 50 villages of Sultanpur Lodhi and Kapurthala districts hogged the limelight for months, as the year ends, one of the biggest grievances of the flood-affected villages is the lack of girdawari (crop compensation) to many farmers. Some farmers in Lohian and Gidderpindi have received compensation but those across Sultanpur Lodhi are the worst hit. Crop compensation and special girdawari for the flood-hit was one of the major promises of the government in the state this year.

In villages like Baupur, floods have left farmers ravaged and debt-ridden.

At the twin villages (Baupur Jadid and Baupur Kadim), farmers claimed they are yet to receive girdawari. The village has a population of 700 to 800.

Paramjit Singh, brother of Baupur village Sarpanch Gurmeet Singh said, “There have been several deaths in our villages, but the floods this year have caused insurmountable damage as farmers are yet to receive girdawari. Leave alone crop damages, compensation for houses which collapsed was also not received. The floods have left a trail of death and tragedy, from which the village is yet to recover. We used to be compensated during the previous floods. But this time, crop compensation wasn’t received.”

Kulwinder Singh Jammu, a resident of Gidderpindi, said, “At Lohian as well as Gidderpindi, some people who died, received girdawari for their losses during the floods, but the rest of the farmers are yet to get it. Especially in Sultanpur Lodhi, many farmers are yet to receive the girdawari for their losses. Some farmers who could neither save the original crop, nor resow paddy (due to severe damage in the fields) are the worst affected as they lost all their crops, or the hope to sow again. They weren’t even compensated.”

Disability schemes

While the government doles out disability pensions and insurance to registered members of the specially abled community, one of the biggest problem is being faced by the bed-ridden or those with accessibility issues.

Disability activist and State Advisory Board member Vivek Joshi said, “Those who are already registered receive the allowances. But one of the biggest problems is being faced by those who are bed-ridden or have mobility issues. For example, a person confined to bed for the past five years, can’t make it to an office. Hence, they are not getting disability pension because their certificate isn’t made. The disabled also do not have access to basic public places like railway stations. To this date, I can’t access the railway station in Jalandhar.”