Cong slams BJP-JJP govt for denying tubewell connections to farmers

CHANDIGARH: The Congress on Tuesday criticised the Haryana government for denying tubewell connections to those farmers whose land was in the command area of a canal.

Describing the decision as “Tughlaqi’, Congress general secretary Randeep Surjewala said the anti-farmer move of the Bharatiya Janata Party-jannayak Janta Party government will adversely affect the farmers.

Quoting a May 1 order, Surjewala said this would mean that tubewell connections will no longer be sanctioned in Ambala, Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra,

Karnal, Panipat, Kaithal, Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad, Bhiwani, Charkhi Dadri, Mahendragarh, Mewat and Gurugram as in these districts, 80-90 % of the area comes under the flow or lift command area of canal irrigation.

“The farmers of northern and southern Haryana will be the most affected by this decision. Does chief minister ML Khattar and his deputy Dushyant Chautala know that canal water is available in most of Haryana for only seven days in a month? In southern Haryana, the availability of irrigation water is even lesser as they get it after 45 days and sometimes after 60 days. So how will the farmer be able to cultivate his land?” Surjewala asked.

Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda said farmers were facing problems in getting electricity and tube well connections. “Connections will be given to only those farmers who get no objection certificate from the irrigation department. In such a situation, farmers who had deposited the security many years ago are left wondering what to do next,” said Hooda.

The former CM said the government is changing the rules and standards time and again to the disadvantage of farmers. “Sometimes, the standards of electric motor are changed while at other times, ground water level rules are changed. Farmers do not even have the freedom to take the motor of their choice,” Hooda said.