While the water level in the confluence of Satluj and Beas rivers at Harike has decreased, people living in villages close to the confluence, whose houses are already inundated, fear further flooding in view of heavy rain in Himachal Pradesh.
The villagers have, however, demanded a compensation for the damage inflicted on them by the flood.
Houses situated in the fields continue to be inundated by river water that has ruined crops spread over thousands of due to heavy rainfall in northern India. Paddy crop has completely been submerged by river water in Mand area of Khadur Sahib and the Baba Bakala constituency and flood victims are using boats to commute from one place to the other.
Flood-hit farmers Harjinder Singh, Bir Singh, Harbhajan Singh and Harpal Singh, whose houses are in the fields in Hathar area, said the situation was grim. “Even after a week, not a single politician or administrative official visited the area to inquire about our condition nor have they taken any step to provide us relief,” they said, fearing some outbreak. “Though deputy commissioners have directed the departments concerned to take necessary measures to provide relief to the flood victims, nothing has been done so far in this regard,” they said.
The flood victims have demanded compensation for their ruined crops and proper arrangement of supplying eatables to them.
Farmers from villages Gagrewal, Jalalabad, Bodalkiri, Verowal, Darapur, Goindwal Singh, Dhunda and Munda Pind said thousands of acres of crop had been affected by the flood, and the loss could only be assessed after the water recedes.
Members of the agrarian community including Sukhdev Singh Bodalkiri, Gurinder Singh Kang, Kashmir Singh Gagrewal, Harpal Singh Jalalabad said farmers were already under heavy debt burden and the flood had further worsened their condition.
Source - http://www.hindustantimes.com
