By IANS,
Chandigarh: The Punjab government Monday ordered “girdawari” (loss assessment) of farmers in certain areas of Ludhiana district where a breach in an irrigation canal has led to flooding of thousands of acres of agricultural land in the last 24 hours.
Standing crops, especially the just sown paddy, have been affected as over 10,000 acres in 22 villages in Samrala, Machhiwara and Kumkalan areas of the district were inundated following the breach in the canal Sunday evening.
Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal instructed the district administration and irrigation authorities to visit the spot and take immediate measures to plug the breach in the Samrala canal and drain out water from water logged villages.
He ordered a special “girdawari” to assess the loss to farm land, house properties and lives, if any.
Badal asked Chief Secretary S.C. Agrawal to issue directions to all Deputy Commissioners in the state to step up vigil along the embankments of canals all over the state to identify the weak points so that steps could be taken to strengthen those and prevent any breach.
He directed that the flood protection machinery all over the state be put on alert to meet any eventuality.