Tarn Taran Diary: Encroachments on village ponds causing flood-like situation

Encroachments on common ponds in different villages across the district can prove to be a serious matter. During the rainy season, it can take a turn for the worse mostly due to negligence on the part of administration in not cleaning the silt and water hyacinth from these water bodies. These ponds covered with water hyacinth prove to be a breeding ground for mosquitoes and flies causing people to fall victim to chronic diseases. It was at Plasaur village in Tarn Taran district where as many as 250 families on Jarmastspur road whose houses were located nearby faced problems. The pond is covered with water hyacinth causing water to overflow, if not cleaned on time. The contaminated water with a foul smell entered people’’’’s houses. Bagga, Soni, Jagrup Singh, Gupreet Singh, Satti Bibi and others said in unison that water had entered their houses three weeks back and would remain so till the end of the rainy season. With increase in water level in Kasur drain which is 200 meters away from their locality, knee-deep water entered their houses. This was because the passage of water from the pond which was to be drained in the Kasur nullah not only got blocked but the drain water coming this side also took a reverse flow. Most of the affected people are from weaker sections of society and to check the pond water from entering their houses, they erected a bundh at the weak portion of their house towards the pond side. The residents said they had been shouting themselves hoarse to get their problems resolved, but relief was far from sight as no politician was ready to risk the wrath of encroachers. This way, 250 families would have to suffer miseries for many more decades. Amandeep Sharma, Block Development and Panchayat Offcier (BDPO), Tarn Taran, said he would visit the spot and then prepare a proposal for the disposal of pond water in the nearby drain that would be sent to the higher authorities soon. The BDPO said that after the proposal is accepted and fund are released by the state government, work would start on the site. Facing similar problems, the residents of Naushehra Pannuan village in a memorandum submitted to the Deputy Commissioner have demanded the removal of encroachments from their village pond which was blocking the drain, causing water to overflow in the village. The pond in almost every village is encroached upon and the administration has found itself helpless in getting them removed due to certain constraints.

Entry of politicians, officials banned in Soorwind village

Entry of politicians and administrative officials was banned by the residents of Soorwind village as their long-pending demands to save their crops on 300 acres of land had remained unheard. The land owners and affected farmers at a gathering held in the village gurdwara took serious note of their crops getting ruined for over ten years due to rainwater entering their fields. The affected farmers led by Swaran Singh said that the farmers managed to get a proposal prepared by the Irrigation Department after a survey was conducted by the XEN, Drainage Department in 2017 and the estimate was sent to the higher authorities for the release of funds for the proposed work. The farmers said that till date they have been approaching the officials, MLAs, ministers and other leaders representing the government, but no one had given them any assurance of resolving their problem. The farmers and their sympathisers took an oath that they would not allow official or political leaders to enter their village till their problem gets resolved. The farmers said that this time, their paddy crop which they had sown for the second time, had been ruined due to water-logging in their fields. The affected farmers said they would stand by their decision come what may till justice is rendered to them. The decision of the affected farmers was a direct challenge to those concerned. Nachhattar Singh, district president of Kirti Kisan Union said they would stand by the affected farmers.

(Contributed by Gurbaxpuri)