In Lohian, locals still picking up the pieces after deluge

Flood watch: The Tribune revisits ground zero a year after

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Aakanksha N Bhardwaj

Tribune News Service

Lohian (Jalandhar), July 18

For 13-year-old Suneha Kaur who lost her cycle and house during the floods last year, life has not been easy. Her Dhakka Basti village and 15 other villages of the Lohian block of Jalandhar were hit by floods in last July. Now, with her bicycle gone, Suneha walks to her school at Mundi Cholian village.

“It is getting difficult for us to live in a tent amid such humid and hot weather,” she said, highlighting her plight after she lost her house to floods. The times are excruciating for her, both mentally and physically.

A year later, the tragedy still seems fresh to villagers with many at Dhakka Basti living in uninhabitable houses.

Other villages where maximum destruction took place were Mundi Cholian, Gatta Mundi Kasu, Mundi Shehrian, Madala Channa, Chakk Madala and Bara Jodh Singh. Paddy crop on over 15,000 acres was swept away in the deluge. Farmers said they had received Rs 6,800 per acre compensation, which was inadequate.

Water is still stagnant in some areas of Dhakka Basti village since the last year.

Fearing flood fury again, some farmers at Gatta Mundi Kasu village have not sown paddy this year. Chamkaur Singh said he used to plant paddy on 2.5 acres of land. “Last year, my crop was completely destroyed. This year, I did not have the courage to sow paddy again,” he said.

Dhakka Basti’s Bagicha Singh lost his brother Ramesh Singh last year. Ramesh drowned after his house was hit by floods. “To repeatedly rebuild houses is not easy for poor people like us. I lost my brother and my house. The government must do something to ensure that we do not suffer again,” said Bagicha Singh.

According to information, an amount of Rs 11.83 crore was spent on relief and rehabilitation of flood-affected people last year. The administration has started operations to desilt water channels of the Sutlej river under the Gidderpindi railway bridge.

Jalandhar Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Aggarwal said, “With this (desilting), the problem will be resolved quite a lot. We are adopting all steps to ensure that things remain under control.”

Crop on 15,000 acres hit

• Paddy crop on over 15,000 acres was swept away in the deluge last year
• Farmers said they received Rs 6,800 per acre compensation, which was inadequate
• Fearing flood fury again, some farmers have not sown paddy this year