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Kapurthala: 2 months on, flood-hit farmers yet to be compensated for crop loss
Paddy crop on nearly 17,000 hectares in the mand area of Sultanpur Lodhi, Bholath and Kapurthala sub-divisions was destroyed due to floods in Sutlej and Beas rivers in July and August.
Two months on, the farmers in the flood-hit villages in Kapurthala district are still waiting for compensation for their losses.
Paddy crop on nearly 17,000 hectares in the mand area of Sultanpur Lodhi, Bholath and Kapurthala sub-divisions was destroyed due to floods in Sutlej and Beas rivers in July and August.
As per the available information, based on special girdawari, the district administration has submitted a detailed report related to damage to paddy crop and compensation due to the farmers but has been awaiting approval from higher authorities for the past month. The state government has not allocated specific funds to provide relief to the farmers for their loss.
In August, Kapurthala district was added to the list of 16 other districts, which were provided with a flood-relief package of ₹186.12 crore by the state government.
As per the broad assessment by the revenue department, the losses in Kapurthala were pegged at over ₹30 crore.
The state government is providing ₹6,800 per acre for the loss as per the provisions of the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF) for losses to freshly sown crops.
Congress MLA from Sultanpur Lodhi Rana Inder Partap Singh slammed the state government for not allocating even a single penny as compensation to the farmers.
“The farmers in other parts of the state are selling their produce at ₹60,000 per hectare after getting compensation while the farmers in Kapurthala district are still waiting for meagre compensation of ₹6,800 per acre. When the destruction in the mand area is visible then what is the point of preparing loss assessment reports and sending files for government approval,” he said.
He added that Kapurthala villages bore the brunt of floods twice, first due to swollen Sutlej and then due to Beas in the past two months.
“When other parts of the state have received their share then why there is delay on the part of the state government in allocating funds for Kapurthala district,” he said.
Kapurthala deputy commissioner Captain Karnail Singh said the file about financial relief is with the state government.
“We are awaiting approval and the farmers will be compensated soon,” he said.
