Garhshankar takes stock as surging waters recede

Our Correspondent

Garhshankar, July 11

Farmers in Garhshankar heaved a sigh of relief as water started receding in most areas on Tuesday. Power supply also resumed after water that had entered the 66 kV powerhouse was drained out.

But pictures of the damage caused also started emerging. Deputy Commissioner Komal Mittal along with SSP Sartaj Singh Chahal, SDM Jashanpreet Kaur Gill, Tehsildar Tapan Bhanot and other officials visited the affected places to take stock of the situation and gave instructions to the departments concerned regarding relief work.

After entering two dozen villages here, the fast-flowing water that descended from the hills of Shivalik in Himachal Pradesh and damaged many houses in Garhshankar. More than a dozen roads, including all three link roads of Nangla village and the road from Haibowal to Sri Anandpur Sahib, were broken. At many places, there is erosion of more than 50 feet on roads. Deep potholes have appeared on roads.

Farmers have been hit the most. Nangla’s Sodhi Singh said, “Around half a dozen tube-wells have been damaged as they were filled with water.” Mohan Singh Thiara, former chairman of the market committee, said in his Nangla village, tubewells of three farmers were ruined. “Farmers will have to spend an estimated Rs 10 lakh again on each bore for repair,” he said.

Paddy crop has been damaged in many villages with water still accumulated in the fields at many places and there being no way to drain it. There is a possibility of damage to the crop due to the heat of the sun. Apart from this, in villages of the Kandi area, the pumpkin crop has been destroyed.

JB Sekhon, a farmer of Rampur Bildon village, said instead of paddy, they had planted pumpkin in the fields. Due to heavy rain and illegal mining, the crop had been completely destroyed. The government should immediately give compensation of at least Rs 50,000 per acre to farmers, he demanded.

Convener of Kandi Sangharsh Committee, Darshan Singh Mattu, after visiting various villages, said Basu Khad near Kunail village had been badly affected. The main reason for this was illegal mining and encroachment on the choes (rain drains) with the connivance of officials of the Revenue Department.

He demanded compensation for the loss of crops, vegetables and heads of cattle in floods. Tehsildar Tapan Bhanot said the situation was becoming normal in Garhshankar and there was no danger of flooding at present.

There was not much loss of paddy but bajra and pumpkin crops have been damaged. The patwaris have been asked to prepare a report on the losses.

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.