Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 25: Watermelon growers in Garkhal village are in major trouble due to the negligence of Jammu and Kashmir Irrigation Department in opening another channel which was otherwise resisted by the Sarpanch sensing flood like situation in land measuring over 500 kanals, affecting over 500 farmer families.
This flood which has filled over 10 feet water in our fields had totally damaging our watermelon crop, narrated Sarpanch Kuldeep Singh to former minister and senior BJP leader Choudhary Sukhnandan Kumar when the latter visited the spot on the demand of local villagers of Patwar Khundpur and Leharian in Gharkal area falling under Akhnoor constituency.
“We had told the Irrigation Department officers for not opening the additional water channel,” said villagers adding that now they can’t even reach in their fields to collect the crop. It’s life threatening to go there, they added.
Choudhary Sukhnandan also assessed the situation on the spot and spoke to the Additional Deputy Commissioner on telephone to immediately intervene for the rescue of the villagers, who were threatening to commit suicide if their crop is damaged in flood like situation in their fields.
“There are two options— one the canal water level be reduced by reducing water in river Chenab by requesting the Salal dam authorities or request Army to make a temporary water bride so that the villagers can go to their fields and collect their crop emerged in area,” said the senior BJP leader.
“The fruit dealers from Valley, and other places are stationed at our village to lift the watermelons and we are unable to go to our fields,” lamented a local villager, adding “we have taken loans from Banks for cultivation and if we are not able to supply crop to the dealers we are finished.”
Sukhnandan assured the villagers to resolve their issue by taking up the matter with Divisional Commissioner Jammu also.
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