Around 100 acres of paddy flooded as canal breach hits Patiala

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Patiala, August 5

Around 100 acres of paddy crop were submerged after a canal (suwa) breached in Suniyarheri village in the Sanaur constituency of Patiala district, prompting farmers to accuse the Canal Department of negligence and delayed action.

According to local farmers, the breach caused floodwater to enter agricultural fields, damaging standing paddy crops and resulting in substantial financial losses. They alleged that despite repeatedly informing the Canal Department about the situation, no timely action was taken to prevent the breach or minimise the damage.

“The negligence of the Canal Department has caused us significant economic losses,” the farmers said.

Farmers also claimed that large quantities of water continue to remain in their fields. They said that after receiving information about the breach, the Canal Department sent two workers to the site. However, they allegedly arrived without adequate arrangements, including sufficient sandbags or other materials required to plug the breach, allowing water to continue flowing through the damaged section.

The farmers further alleged that the canal water had still not been stopped, raising questions over the quality of construction as the canal had reportedly been built only recently.

Meanwhile, villagers have started making efforts on their own to contain the breach by placing bags at the damaged section of the canal.

The affected residents have appealed to the administration to conduct a special girdawari (crop damage assessment) and provide appropriate compensation for the losses suffered by farmers.