Archit Watts
Lambi (Muktsar), July 28
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann visited the areas affected by waterlogging in the Lambi Assembly segment here on Thursday, where he met some affected farmers and ordered special girdawari for the damaged crops.
The CM also directed the Deputy Commissioners of both Muktsar and Fazilka districts to jointly prepare a plan to end this perennial problem of waterlogging.
He said the state government was changing rules, so that cultivators could get compensation from the state government for the damage to their crops.
“Earlier, the compensation was given to land owners. I know that a number of cultivators have taken the land on lease and sometimes they don’t get the benefit of compensation. If the land owner is a good human, he/she distributes the compensation further else he/she keeps it with himself/herself. I have directed the DCs to start special girdawari and not to leave even an inch from assessing the damage to crops. No farmer will be left out from the compensation. I am the CM of the state and not a particular party. It is my responsibility to take care of all of you,” said Bhagwant Mann, while addressing some farmers at Panniwala Fatta village here.
Later speaking at Fazilka, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann held Parkash Singh Badal and his son Sukhbir Badal responsible for large scale waterlogging in Fazilka and Muktsar villages. Mann visited to take stock of stagnant water in Moolianwali village of Fazilka district. He said the standing cotton crops have been totally ruined in several villages and paddy crop was also damaged to a large extent due to waterlogging. He said the majority of waterlogged villages fall in the Assembly constituencies of Jalalabad and Lambi in Muktsar district represented by the father-son duo.
Protests begin as soon as CM leaves
- As soon as the CM left the venue at the Panniwala Fatta village grain market, activists of some unions lodged a protest by raising anti-government slogans, demanding government jobs
- Those who protested were from Kache Adhyapak Union, Overage Berozgar Union amp; Navi Berozgar PTI Adhyapak Union
- The activists of Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union, Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan), too, lodged a protest, saying that a large number of farmers were yet to get compensation for their cotton crop damaged due to pink bollworm attack last year
- Some farmers lodged a protest on the Abohar-Panniwala Fatta road, saying cops did not allow them to go near the CM’s venue
- Notably, strict security arrangements were made, as there were inputs about some people lodging a protest
Punjab CM orders special girdawari for those affected by waterlogging
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