March 29, 2024

Punjab

Sukhbir Badal announces compensation from MPLAD fund for tornado hit

Kaumimarg Bureau | March 25, 2023 07:25 PM

 Fazilka-Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal today announced a compensation of Rs five lakh from his MPLAD fund for repair of houses damaged by the tornado which swept across Bakainwala village in this district yesterday besides committing Rs one lakh in his personal capacity for immediate relief work.

The SAD President visited Bakainwala village besides other places which have witnessed damage to kinnow orchards and standing wheat fields in this district as well as adjoining Muktsar district.

Demanding that compensation be paid to all those whose houses and kinnow orchards have been destroyed within fifteen days, Mr Sukhbir Badal said in case this was not done the SAD would launch an agitation to ensure justice to affected farmers. He also talked to the Fazilka deputy commissioner on the occasion and volunteered to release more money from his MPLAD fund if required. He however said the government should not be slack in providing compensation to the affected farmers. Mr Badal also took on chief minister Bhagwant Mann for not visiting the affected area and releasing compensation to the tornado hit immediately. “Earlier also the AAP government has failed to release compensation for crop damage. If it fails to release just compensation we will launch a sustained agitation against it”, he added.

Earlier Mr Badal toured various villages in Lambi constituency where standing wheat crop has been severely damaged due to hail storms accompanied by heavy rain. He interacted with farmers in Dabwali Dhab, Karamgarh, Bhagwanpura, Shamkhera and Gurusar Jodha villages. The farmers said the government was yet to reach out to them and demanded interim relief immediately. Mr Badal demanded that compensation at the rate of Rs 50, 000 per acre be released to farmers whose wheat crop had been severely destroyed and Rs 25, 000 per acre to farmers suffering partial damage.

Asking the chief minister not to punish farmers, Mr Badal said the AAP government had followed an anti-farmer attitude ever since coming to power in the State. “First farmers were misled into sowing maize by the chief minister on the promise of procurement by the State on minimum support price (MSP) but only minuscule portion of the crop was procured leading to heavy losses for lakhs of farmers”. He said farmers were also not given any compensation for low wheat yields last year due to a sudden spurt in temperature besides damage due to inclement weather.

The SAD president said even as farmers were suffering, Mr Bhagwant Mann was busy in cheap gimmicks besides looting the Punjab exchequer to spread his boss Arvind Kejriwal’s agenda across the country. “Crores are being wasted on advertisements every day but farmers are not being paid compensation for losses suffered by them”, he added.

Senior SAD leaders Dr Mohinder Rinwa and Hans Raj Josan accompanied Mr Badal to village Bakainwala.

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