No tarpaulins, paddy awaiting procurement gets drenched

Hundreds of quintals of paddy crop got drenched at Abohar grain market on Tuesday. Aggrieved farmers blamed the market committee officials and arhtiyas for the mismanagement.

Farmers said the state government had been relying on false promises rather than actually assisting them.

Sukhjinder Rajan of the Bharti Kisan Union (Rajewal) said tall claims by the government had fallen flat. “Initially, paddy was not being purchased. When farmers brought produce to the mandis, arhtiyas failed to provide tarpaulin sheets to protect the grain from rain. The weather department had warned of rain three days in advance.”

“The market committee officials failed to check whether sufficient tarpaulins are available or not. The administration should cancel licenses of arhtiyas who caused losses. Trucks have been parked under market sheds, thus leaving no space to store paddy,” he added. An official said action would be taken against arhtiyas concerned.

Mohali, Amritsar, Hoshiarpur, Pathankot, Ferozepur, Phagwara, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Bathinda and Ludhiana also received rain.

10 Fazilka villages notified under silt removal policy

Ten villages of Fazilka district have been notified under the “Jisda khet, usdi ret” policy announced by the state government.

Deputy Commissioner Amarpreet Kaur Sandhu said the villages covered under the police were Hastan Kalan, Mahatam Nagar, Teja Ruhela, Chak Ruhela, Muhar Jamsher, Ghurka, Dona Sikandari, Valle Shah Hithar, Valle Shah Uttar and Muhar Khiva.

The DC said the landowners in these villages could liftand dispose of silt deposited by recent floods. They could do so without obtaining any permit or NOC till December 31.

A huge quantity of silt was deposited by swollen rivers across the state as floodwaters inundated crops on over 4.81 lakh acres. The recent floods in Punjab have altered the state’s soil profile, causing nutrient imbalances and potential threats to Rabi crop productivity, according to the Punjab Agricultural University.