Sangrur gets Rs 13.68 crore for whitefly-hit cotton growers

The district administration has received a sum of Rs 13.68 crore to be distributed among the farmers who have lost their cotton crop in the whitefly attack.

SANGRUR: The district administration has received a sum of Rs 13.68 crore to be distributed among the farmers who have lost their cotton crop in the whitefly attack.

The district administration has received a sum of Rs 13.68 crore to be distributed among the farmers who have lost their cotton crop in the whitefly attack. (HT Photo)

Deputy commissioner Arshdeep Singh Thind said, “We received the amount on Monday and sent the money to sub-divisional magistrates (SDMs) concerned for distribution among actual cultivators.”

Unlike in Bathinda district, where cheques were given to the land owners instead of cultivators, the administration here is giving cheques to the persons who took land on lease or rent for cultivation, said sources.

The SDM offices have been directed to maintain a register in which details will be written on daily basis that how many farmers have received the compensation.

The worst-affected areas in district are Lehra, Sunam and Moonak subdivisions.

A special ‘girdawari’ was conducted by the administration immediately after the whitefly attack and patwaris have personally identified the actual cultivators of the crop.

Additional deputy commissioner Arvind Kumar MK told HT that a total of 13,000 hectare of land was under cotton cultivation in the district. The highest amount of compensation of Rs 6.57 crore has been sent to Lehra and the minimum Rs 25.6 lakh to Malerkotla.

Meanwhile, chief parliamentary secretary Parkash Chand Garg distributed 20 cheques among cotton farmers here.

Money received

Sub-division Amount

Sangrur Rs 1.21 crore

Sunam Rs 2.66 crore

Moonak Rs 2.55 crore

Lehra Rs 6.57 crore

Dhuri Rs 59.70 crore

Malerkotla Rs 25.65 crore