B A T H I N D A    E D I T I O N

Waterlogged fields
High hopes from Central team

Bathinda, June 27 A population of about 1.73 lakh, mostly farmers, whose lands are waterlogged for the past about 20 years in the districts of Muktsar, Faridkot and Ferozepur are looking with great expectation towards the expert team of the centre.

A farmer shows his waterlogged field at Mann village in Muktsar district. A Tribune photograph

Cops attacked on court complex to help undertrials escape police custody, 7 held
Faridkot, June 27 Seven persons have been arrested after they tried to help three undertrials escape from the police custody by attacking a police party on the district court complex here today.

Finally, bikers gang busted
Abohar, June 27 Having been under fire from different quarters, the sub-divisional police today succeeded in busting the gang of bikers that had caused panic among housewives and girl students here for the last two months.

Waterlogged fields
High hopes from Central team
SP Sharma
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, June 27
A population of about 1.73 lakh, mostly farmers, whose lands are waterlogged for the past about 20 years in the districts of Muktsar, Faridkot and Ferozepur are looking with great expectation towards the expert team of the centre that would tour these areas to find a solution to the problem that was causing economic stress among the farming community.

The 15-member central team headed by Mihir Shah, Member, Water Resources and Rural Development, in the Planning Commission, will tour the waterlogged areas on July 1.

The Planning Commission had last week set up the expert group to study the complex issue of waterlogging and recommend the way forward to address the problem in a holistic manner along with the related financial resources requirements and submit the report by November 30.

Vast tracts of fertile land in the three districts has inundated due to seepage from the Sirhind canal network and the Rajasthan Feeder and efforts of the Centre and the Punjab government to solve the problem have so far yielded little results.

The Lambi segment that is represented by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in the assembly is among the worst-affected areas. He had personally taken up the issue with the Centre.

According to a document prepared by the drainage department, over 848 sq km of agriculture land in 332 villages of the three districts was waterlogged and a population of 1,73,3515 was affected.

Several projects funded by the World Bank and the NABARD were also launched in the affected areas to drain out the water. A project worth `293 crore was launched some time ago to drain out the water. Some positive results were seen in Channu village, one of the worst-affected areas.

Chief Engineer of the drainage department, Vinod Chaudhary, who was today touring the affected areas, said several measures have been taken over the years to drain out the water through gravity schemes, pumping and laying perforated pipes. Positive results have come in some areas.

A waterlogging affected farmer of Akalgarh village, Dalvir Singh, said, “We are three brothers having a total of 15 acres of agricultural land, but we are able to crop on only 7 acres as rest of the land is inundated. For the past 15 years, we are facing the wrath of waterlogging that has shattered us financially”.

“The land has become totally infertile. We are unable to grow any crops on it,” he added.

A farmer of Fatehpur Manian village, Balbir Singh, said, “Half of my 8-acre agricultural land is waterlogged”.

The Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) that was also engaged in identifying the cause of the problem in its report said almost flat land surface having virtually negligible gradient was one of the reasons for the hindrance in the water runoff.

It also observed that the inadequate capacity of drainage channels was also contributing to waterlogging.

Among other affected villages are Abul Khurana, Arniwala, Kuttianwali, Muktsar, Malout, Jhabewali, Pakki Tibbi, Middu Khera, Gidderbaha, Waring, Roranwali,Chak Sarian, Ram Sra, Kikarwala, Tappa Khera, Phullewala and Fatehpur Manian.

Cops attacked on court complex to help undertrials escape police custody, 7 held
Tribune News Service

Faridkot, June 27
Seven persons have been arrested after they tried to help three undertrials escape from the police custody by attacking a police party on the district court complex here today.

The seven accomplices of the undertrials were armed with many sharp-edged weapons and red chili powder to resist the police party but the cops foiled their attempt.

According to the sources in police, three youths involved in many crimes were being brought from Jalandhar for a court hearing here today when their seven accomplices attacked the police escort party near the Courts Complex.

A case has been registered against them under Sections 399, 402, 225, 120B and 511 of the IPC (making preparation for committing dacoity and attacking a police party to release the criminals in police custody) at the City police station, Faridkot. The custody of the accused has been given to the CIA, Faridkot.

The police has begun investigation in the case, said a senior police officer.

Finally, bikers gang busted
4 members of the gang arrested, five on the run
Our Correspondent

Abohar, June 27
Having been under fire from different quarters, the sub-divisional police today succeeded in busting the gang of bikers that had caused panic among housewives and girl students here for the last two months.

DSP Raj Kumar Jalhotra told mediapersons this afternoon that a police party led by SHO Darshan Singh of old police station (City-II) nabbed Manpreet Singh Manna of Azeemgarh, Gaurav Goyal of Nai Abadi,  Ankit of Sidhu Nagari and Sandeep Kumar of old Fazilka road. A .32 bore pistol with four live cartridges, a .315 bore pistol with three cartridges, few sharp-edged weapons and a motorcycle have been recovered from them. However, five of their accomplices managed to escape even as the police chased them on the banks of Malukpura sub-canal located on the outskirts of the town. They have been identified as Ramandeep Singh of Jammu Basti, Sahil of Nai Abadi, Jagdeep of Sai Vihar Colony, Manpreet Singh of Ratta Tibba village and Gurja Dhanak of Arya Nagar.

They have been booked under Sections 399, 402, 420 and 379 of the IPC and 25/54/59 of the Arms Act. The accused were allegedly involved in 11 cases of gold chain and purse snatching from college-going girls and housewives.