Paddy on 3,000 hectares damaged in Tarn Taran
Over a dozen villages flooded due to breach in Defense and Patti drains in border dist
TARN TARAN: The administration has been on toes following the incessant rain on Saturday and Sunday.The showers wreaked havoc in around a dozen villages of the border district.
Thousands of acres of crops in Algon Kalan, Masatgarh, Thathi Jaimal Sigh, Kalia Sakattra, Seeto Meh Jhugian, Seeto Nau Abad, Dialpura, Bhikhiwind, Soorwind, Bhaini, Khakh, Miani and Goindwal Sahib villages have been submerged. The agriculture department officials have estimated the damage of paddy and fodder around 2,880 and 2,40 hectares respectively.
Chief agriculture officer (CAO) Harwinderjit Singh said, “As per our estimate, a loss of around 2% of the total crops in the district has been assessed. In some low laying areas, paddy crop has submerged completely so the actual loss will be calculated only after the water is drained out from the fields,” he said further.
Most of the affected villages were flooded due to the overflowing water of two drains — Defense and Patti drain — in the district.
Residents of Seeto Meh Jhugian said that due to the inces- sant rains, the Patti drain suffered a breach on Monday and the overflowing water damaged crops.
Tarn Taran DC Pardeep Sabarwal, on Tuesday said, “Due to the illegal encroachments near the drain, water overflowed.The drains department officials will also be investigated as the drain was never cleaned before.”
The Defense drain which passes through border area villages in Bhikhiwind sub-division also overflowed on Monday night, damaging the crops of around five villages. The DC said, “The area of the drain comes under army and as the two drain gates were closed, water overflowed, following which we contacted the army and the gates were opened. The situation is under control now.”