Floods hit paddy on 6K hectares, plants on 4,725 hectares recover

Tribune News Service

Nitin Jain

Ludhiana, August 24

The recent floods caused by incessant rains and overflowing of water bodies had damaged paddy crop over at least 6,475 hectares in Ludhiana district, the government has confirmed.

Safe Blocks

Pakhowal, Sudhar and Jagraon blocks reported no loss to crops due to floods/ incessant rains.

While the damaged rice plantation had recovered on over 4,725 hectares after waterlogged fields were drained out, the replantation of paddy crop had been done over 1,750 hectares, officials have said.

PADDY AREA 2,56,900

(Source: Agriculture Department, area in hectares)

Deputy Commissioner Surabhi Malik told The Tribune here on Thursday that the district administration with the help of the Agriculture Department had acted swiftly to help out distressed farmers following the losses caused to their crops due to the recent floods and incessant rains.

“The administration conducted an extensive survey of the fields and all peasants who had suffered damages to their crops had been helped out by way of arranging recovery of their partially damaged crops and replantation against the completely destroyed crop,” she said.

Divulging the extent of damage and relief extended to the farmers, Chief Agriculture Officer (CAO) Narinder Benipal said the paddy crop was planted over 2,56,900 hectares in the district during the current kharif season.

“Almost 6,475 hectares of area under paddy had suffered damages due to the recent floods and incessant rains,” he said.

Dr Benipal said the timely intervention and help extended by the Agriculture Department had ensured recovery of partially damaged paddy plantation over 4,725 hectares while free saplings/seeds were provided to flood-hit farmers to replant paddy crop over 1,750 hectares.

“With this, our entire area that had been hit by the floods had been recovered/ replanted and not even a single field had been left where no paddy plantation had been done,” the CAO claimed.

He said the saplings/seeds of various paddy varieties, mainly PR-126, PR-124 and basmati, were distributed free of cost to the farmers at the block level after making public announcements in villages.

According to the block-wise crop damage report compiled by the Agriculture Department, Samrala block had suffered the maximum damage to 3,350 hectares of paddy crop, of which 2,800 hectares had been recovered and 550 hectares had been replanted, while three blocks — Pakhowal, Sudhar and Jagraon — reported no loss to crops due to the floods and incessant rains.

Among other blocks, Ludhiana suffered loss to 50 hectares of paddy crop, which had been recovered, Mangat 1,260 hectares (710 hectares replanted, 550 hectares recovered), Sidhwan Bet 325 hectares (200 hectares recovered, 125 hectares replanted), Khanna 250 hectares (130 hectares replanted, 120 hectares recovered), Doraha 45 hectares (45 hectares recovered), Dehlon 65 hectares (50 hectares recovered, 15 hectares replanted) and the Machhiwara block had reported loss to 1,130 hectares of paddy crop, of which 910 hectares had been recovered and 220 hectares had been resown.

Committed to farmers’ welfare: DC

“We are committed to the welfare of farmers. Acting on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, we had ensured complete recovery and replantation of losses to crops due to the recent floods and incessant rains. Besides, the peasants were extended all possible help and support during these difficult times,” said Surabhi Malik, Deputy Commissioner.

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