Over 10K acres of agriculture land flooded in Karnal
Parveen Arora
Karnal, July 10
With the level of water in the Yamuna rising to danger mark after the discharge from the Hathni Kund Barrage, along with heavy rainfall in the past three days, around 10,000 acres of agricultural land have been submerged in various villages along the river and in Assandh and Nilokheri blocks, prompting the district authorities to review the situation in villages.
Permanent solution needed
We witness flood-like situation every year. The government should make a permanent solution to strengthen the banks of the Yamuna so that our crops can be saved.
Sudhir, a farmer of modipur village
The fear of heavy losses looms among farmers whose crops of paddy, sugarcane, vegetables and others have already submerged. Meanwhile, water is still away from residential areas, but residents fear if the water level rises, it could enter these areas as well.
“I had transplanted paddy around 15 days ago, but now it has been submerged in around 3 to 4 feet of water which is now destroyed and I have no option but to transplant it again,” said Bal Kishan, a farmer of Modipur village.
Sources said the district had witnessed around 250mm of rainfall in the past three days. Besides, around 2 lakh cusecs of water was discharged in the Yamuna, leading to flood-like situation in around 9,000 acres of agricultural land in the villages along the river, including Chandro, Shergarh Tapu, Nabiabad, Japti Chapra, Sayeed Chapra, Nagal, Halwana, Kamalpur Gadrian, Randoli, Modipur, Jadoli, Navipur, Khrajpur, Gadpur Tapu, Halwana, Kalsora, Chaugama, and others. The heavy flow of the Yamuna also breached a bandh near Shergarh Tapu, which was plugged by officials with the help of residents, but several acres were still flooded.
Apart from it, due to heavy rainfall around 1000 acres of land has been submerged in Thari, Jabhala, Uplana, Alawla, Sheikhpura, Jalmana, and around 500 acres of land in Raipur Roran village, said a report of the district administration.
Farmers complain they witness flood-situation every year, but no permanent steps have been taken so far.
“We witness flood-like situation every year. The government should make a permanent solution to strengthen the banks of the Yamuna so that our crops can be saved,” said Sudhir, a farmer of Modipur village, whose 4 acres of paddy and an acre of sesame crop were flooded.
Indri MLA Ram Kumar Kashyap, Deputy Commissioner Anish Yadav, SP Shashank Kumar Sawan visited various villages and took stock of the situation.
“Due to the heavy rainfall in the past three days and the discharge of water from Hathni Kund Barrage, agricultural fields of around 12 villages are submerged in water. Water is still away from residential areas. There is no need to panic, but people should remain alert. We are ready to deal with the situation. We have made all necessary arrangements,” said Yadav, DC.
Meanwhile, six persons, who were stranded in the fields in various villages, have been rescued by members of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) from Kamalpur, said Sawan. He said police personnel had been deployed in various villages to assist villagers.
A 25-feet-wide fresh breach of occurred at in a bundh near Garhpur Tapu village. SDM Indri Ashok Kumar, along with police personnel and officials, were at the place to monitor the situation.
