Floods a new front to settle political scores - Hindustan Times
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Floods a new front to settle political scores

Hindustan Times | ByRaghbir Singh Brar, Faridkot
Aug 22, 2013 12:19 AM IST

Even the tragedy of floods does not seem to soften political equations. A dispute has broken out in Macchaki Mal Singh in the district where a Congress supporter has alleged that his standing paddy crop was reportedly damaged using floods as an excuse.

Even the tragedy of floods does not seem to soften political equations. A dispute has broken out in Macchaki Mal Singh in the district where a Congress supporter has alleged that his standing paddy crop was reportedly damaged using floods as an excuse.

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Supports of the leader, Ginderjeet Singh, blocked traffic on the Kotkapura-Faridkot main road on Wednesday demanding justice after his paddy crop was destroyed by a JCB machine, reportedly at the behest of former Akali sarpanch, Pritam Singh.

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"We cleared pipes laid to carry waste or excess water from the village to the nearby Langhewala drain. The former sarpach Pritam singh had blocked the pipes from one point from where he had been using water for irrigation. We removed the blockage in the pipes. This upset him and my field was destroyed," claimed Ginderjeet.

He claimed that officials had cited encroachment as one of the reasons for the destruction of his crop, but alleged that no demarcation was done. However, Pritam Singh claimed that the land belonged to the panchayat.

"There are pipelines under the crop. Flood water was not being cleared by the pipes. We had requested them remove their possession to dig up an open channel.

The work was started after demarcation in the presence of the panchayat department," he claimed.

However, the other group claimed that none from the Congress leader was present during any such demarcation.

Kotkapura block development and panchayat officer (BDPO) Gurmeet Singh said: "We got a report of demarcation by the revenue officials through the former sarpanch and just worked on it."

Faridkot DC Ravi Bhagat has ordered demarcation of disputed land of both the parties.

"I have instructed the tehsildar, the BDPO and the Kotkapura SHO to get demarcation done. The SSP will also be represented. All encroachments will be removed after proper demarcation," he said.

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