Sutlej swallows land, life comes to a standstill in Ferozepur

For 68-year-old Amaro Bai of Tendiwala village, which is situated along the left flank of the Sutlej along the Indo-Pakistan border, life has come to a standstill with no hope in sight.

Just a few weeks ago, the mighty Sutlej had wreaked havoc, rendering them not only homeless, but also landless. Sitting by the roadside with teary eyes, she recalls how the Sutlej swallowed her 7 acres of fertile land and swept away the tiny hamlet which they had built with whatever little they had earned over the years. Her husband Lakhna Singh had died a decade ago, and ever since, the burden of survival fell on her two sons, Mukhtiar Singh, who is mentally unstable, and Bohar Singh, who tilled the family land to make both ends meet. The floods have even washed away the dreams of Amaro’s grandchildren. Even their school bags and books were swept away, and the children now wonder if they will ever return to school.

The family is neck-deep in debt with already Rs 20 lakh borrowed from a commission agent for paddy cultivation. With no land, no home, and no income, survival depends on the mercy of relatives offering temporary shelter.

Amro’s case is not an isolated one. There are several other tillers and marginal farmers whose land has been swept away by the Sutlej. Sukhchain Singh of Nihala Kilcha village said he used to survive by cultivating 6 acres which have been swept away in floods. He has four daughters and two sons. This land was my bread and butter, but now I have nothing to survive on,” he added.

Jagdish Bhatti and Pala Singh, both residents of Nihala Kilcha village, also lost their 10 acres which they had been tilling for ages. Karan Singh Dhaliwal, secretary, Border Kissan Union (Punjab), said hundreds of acres had been swept away in the Dona Telu Mall enclave only. “The sad part is that the government has no policy for those farmers whose land has been washed away,” said Dhaliwal.

Deepshikha Sharma, Deputy Commissioner, said the Revenue Department had been told to prepare a report on the land which had been eroded or swept away by the Sutlej, adding that the administration would take up the matter with the state government so that financial assistance could be provided to the affected residents. “Our teams are in the field and very soon the loss assessment work will be completed and sent to the headquarters,” said the DC.

Ironically, since the land these marginal farmers had been cultivating belongs to the provincial government in the revenue records and the girdawaris which were in their name were also cancelled a few years ago, these hapless people remain bereft of any grants which are extended by the government, which leaves them in the lurch.