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Ludhiana: Sutlej swallows farmland in Sasrali Colony, admn on alert
The administration has stationed multi-department teams for 24x7 monitoring and moved in a stockpile of one lakh sandbags and heavy stone supplies from Ropar and Himachal Pradesh to reinforce weak points of the bandh
Rising waters of the Sutlej river inundated vast stretches of farmland in Sasrali Colony, sending alarm bells ringing in flood-prone areas of Ludhiana district. The swirling currents have already damaged nearly 100 acres of standing crops in Sasrali and adjoining Boothgarh villages, sparking panic among farmers.
Manveer Singh Dhaliwal, a local Congress leader, said the loss to farmers is mounting by the hour. “Crops over 100 acres are already destroyed. The full extent of damage can only be known after the waters recede,” he warned.
Cabinet minister Sanjeev Arora and Ludhiana deputy commissioner Himanshu Jain rushed to Sasrali Colony on Tuesday to take stock of the crisis. After inspecting the dhussi bandh, they assured residents that the embankment is holding firm and the river’s level remains below the danger mark. Still, precautionary measures have been ramped up.
The administration has stationed multi-department teams for 24x7 monitoring and moved in a stockpile of one lakh sandbags and heavy stone supplies from Ropar and Himachal Pradesh to reinforce weak points of the bandh.
“We are prepared for every eventuality. Farmers’ losses will be fully assessed, and compensation will be given without delay,” the DC assured.
Despite official reassurances, the sight of submerged farmland has left villagers anxious. “Every season we live with this fear. The bandh is our only shield. If it gives way, we lose everything,” said a farmer standing near the overflowing fields.
