300-ACRE CROP DAMAGED DUE TO WATERLOGGING IN ROHTAK VILLAGE, SAY FARMERS

Due to incessant rain, we have got complaints that drains have overflowed and water has entered fields. GAYATRI AHLAWAT , sub-divisional officer, Meham

GIRAWAR (ROHTAK): Farmers in Rohtak’s Girawar village are in a state of despair after over 300acre of their crop, which are their main source of livelihood, was flooded by water overflowing from the drain over the last few days.

Water seeping into their fields reached around 3-ft on Tuesday, causing damage to paddy and other crops. The farmers met Rohtak deputy commissioner Captain Manoj Sheoran a day earlier and asked him to make arrangements to ensure water is drained from their fields.

The farmers are up in arms against the administration for its “failure to construct a 100-m drain” which connects the other drain since 2006 and they alleged that the drain was not cleaned before monsoon.

Farmer Krishan Kumar, 55, said he had sown paddy on 11 acre and the entire crop got damaged as his fields are in an inundated state for the past one week. “More than 3-ft water is standing in over 300 acre in our village for one week and more water is coming in. We have been requesting the administration to build a 100-m drain which connects the main drain so that water can flow out easily. Due to government apathy, water flows up to 4-ft in our fields every year and we suffer huge losses. The government should provide us compensation,” he added.

Another farmer Jaipal said he had sown paddy on five acre and bajra on two acre, but the crops got completely damaged due to waterlogging.

“We have requested local MLA Balraj Kundu but he failed to solve our grievances,” he added.

Meham sub-divisional officer Gayatri Ahlawat said the deputy commissioner has conducted a meeting with irrigation department officials and SDMS and the needful would be done.