Sukhbir seeks Rs 1 lakh per acre relief for kinnow growers

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Saturday demanded that the farmers whose kinnow orchards have been destroyed in flooding here be awarded a compensation of Rs 1 lakh per acre.

He also demanded a compensation of Rs 40,000 per acre for those whose paddy crop had been destroyed.

The SAD president visited around flood-hit 50 villages in Abohar. He also appealed to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, the apex gurdwara body, to hold medical camps in affected villages. Sukhbir asked the party cadre to arrange fodder for the cattle besides supplying food packets to the affected people.

While interacting with kinnow farmers, he said it was shocking that that their orchards had been “allowed to wither away” as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government failed to arrange for facilities to clear water from the flooded fields. Sukhbir also took a dig at ruling AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal, saying it was shocking that while he was staying put in Mohali and “even inaugurating one-room projects”, he did not visit the flood-hit areas. “Even Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has failed to extend any relief to those whose fields had been inundated with flood waters,” he added.

He said the CM had not announced any interim relief for the flood-hit people as promised by. “Around Rs 6,000 crore is lying with the Punjab Government under the Natural Disaster Relief Fund but no money was being released to the flood-hit,” he added.