Flood situation grim in Sultanpur Lodhi, 6,000-acre crop submerged
“All the 16 villages in the Mand area have been severely affected by the river water. We will provide a motor boat and life jackets to help the area residents to tide over the crisis,” she said.
The flood situation has turned grim in Mand area of Sultanpur Lodhi in Kapurthala district, with the water level in the Beas river rising in the wake of heavy rains.
The standing paddy crop sown over an area of 6,000 acres has been damaged as fields are submerged under six to seven ft of water. On Wednesday, local MLA Navtej Singh Cheema, accompanied by deputy commissioner Mohammad Tayyab and sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Charumita Shekhar, visited the area to review the situation.
The SDM said the entire area is flooded with flood water and the situation will turn worse if rain continues in the coming days. “All the 16 villages in the Mand area have been severely affected by the river water. We will provide a motor boat and life jackets to help the area residents to tide over the crisis,” she said.
The residents have so far been depending on two simple boats for travelling across the marooned territory.
The affected villages include Baopur, Dhunna, Baopur Kadim, Baopur Zadid, Bheni Kadamwala, Sangran, Gaurewal, Kishangarh, Ramapur Gorey and Tangra. Charumita said a survey will be conducted to assess the crop loss after the water recedes from fields, so that compensation can be provided to the affected farmers.
Local residents said the water has entered the houses and life has come to a standstill in the area. Meanwhile, government schools have been closed for one week due to the increasing level of water.
Over 5,000 residents of the 16 villages in the island spread over nearly 25 sq km, also called ‘Mini Sri Lanka’ of Punjab, face difficulties every year after the pontoon bridge is dismantled in July by the district administration.
‘RESIDENTS TO HOLD DHARNA’
Kisan Sangharsh Committee president Paramjit Singh said local residents have decided to hold an indefinite dharna outside the deputy commissioner’s office from August 14 against the inadequate arrangements made by the administration to tackle the flood situation. “The water level is increasing for the past one week, but the administration swung into the action only after the crops were completely damaged in 16 villages of the area,” he said.
MLA Cheema said he has asked the administration to provide proper assistance to local residents. “I have taken up the matter with the government and a permanent bridge will be constructed soon to connect this island with Sultanpur Lodhi,” he said. DC Tayyab said he has directed the drainage department to solve the problems of the area residents.