Fields flooded, Sangrur farmers may not be able to meet August 15 deadline to resow paddy
Parvesh Sharma
Sangrur, July 24
The Agriculture Department says that if paddy is resown on the 33,000 acres of flood-affected land till August 15 in the district, farmers can get good crop. But most farmers of around 30 villages have lost hopes as water continues to flood villages from around 46 breaches and the Ghaggar is still at 748 feet, the danger level.
“Flood water is still in the fields and if farmers want to get good production, they must sow the paddy in 20 days. But it’s not possible and all have accepted the fact that this year they have lost everything. The government should give Rs 50,000 per acre financial compensation to the affected farmers,” said Rinku Moonak, a leader of the BKU Ugrahan.
From Khanauri to Makraud Sahib, the Ghaggar has a width of 588 feet, but from Makraud Sahib to Kadail, it reduces to 190 feet. The rise in the water level has caused 56 breaches in Ghaggar embankments. Initially, the administration has lost count of breaches, but after The Tribune highlighted the issue, it sent teams on July 19 to count the breaches and the teams detected 13 breaches between Khanauri and Makraud Sahib and 43 between Makraud Sahib and Kadail.
Drainage Department Executive Engineer Gursharan Virk said they were working to plug the breaches at the earliest. But the high pace and level of water in the Ghaggar is creating problems for them.
“Until the flood water recedes, we will not resow the paddy. Since water level is still above the danger level in the Ghaggar, things will take many more days to normalise,” said Jaswant Singh, another farmer of the area.
As per official record, 44,000 acres are under flood water. “If farmers are able to resow paddy till August 15, then their production will not be affected as the crop will have three months to grow. But if resowing is done after August 15, it might affect their production. We are offering all help to farmers,” said Harbans Singh, Chief Agriculture Officer, Sangrur.
