Dry trees choke canals following thunderstorm, breaches averted

Abohar, May 11

Thunderstorms followed by rain disrupted electricity supply last night, and uprooted tin sheds and dry trees owned by the Forest Department in large numbers fell in a few canals due to which the same started overflowing. Farmers feared three breaches may develop in Panjawa Canal that runs near the inter-state border.

BKU (Khosa) president Gunwant Singh and his associate Gursewak Singh said that they along with other farmers reached the spot and averted the breaches by pulling out trees that had fallen in the canal.

Gunwant Singh said that hundreds of trees planted by the Forest Department had dried in the past few months and had caused breaches. He said the BKU has written several times to the higher authorities in this regard to uproot the dry trees alongside the canal side but the department is still in deep slumber.

He warned that if the dry trees are not uprooted, then the farmers themselves will uproot them. If Forest Department officials come to question the farmers, they would face a difficult situation.

Canal Department SDO Jaswinder Singh said that due to the thunderstorm last night, some trees and grass got stuck in the tails in the canal. The same had been cleared with the help of farmers. Talks with the Forest Department were going on regarding the demand of the farmers that the dry trees on the banks of the canal should be uprooted, the SDO added.