Archit Watts
Muktsar, July 21
Almost a week after it rained, standing crops on 34,000 hectares in Muktsar district are still waterlogged. Meanwhile, there is a forecast of more rain in the next 48 hours.
In a report sent to their head office, officials of the Agriculture Department have stated that cotton crop on nearly 11,000 hectares and paddy crop on nearly 23,000 hectares is waterlogged in the district.
“The exact area will be assessed by the Revenue Department, but we too have prepared a report. However, it doesn’t mean that crops in this entire area will get damaged. If rainwater drains out now, then crops can be saved in some area. Further, it depends on weather,” said Gurpreet Singh, Chief Agriculture Officer, Muktsar.
Meanwhile, some residents of Haraj village here today said the district administration had turned a blind eye towards them. “Our village suffers rain fury almost every year. However, the district administration has not found a permanent solution to waterlogging. There is just one water lifting pump and a pipeline to drain out rainwater. However, rainwater is still standing on a large area. It is even posing threat to some houses. If it rains just one more time, our houses will collapse,” said Davinder Singh, a resident of Haraj village. On the other hand Deputy Commissioner Vineet Kumar today said, “No one has come to the District Administrative Complex to report damage to his/her house or building. Patwaris have been told to receive applications in villages in this regard.”
However, there is no word on special girdawari of crops from the state government yet.
34K hectares waterlogged in Muktsar
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