Former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said the government was not taking concrete steps to help and provide relief to flood victims. Stating that illegal mining in the Yamuna was one of the key reasons for the massive floods, Hooda said the illegal mining had changed the course of the river itself.
“People are very angry about the BJP government's inaction. Floods have caused severe devastation in Haryana. Farmers' standing crops on 18 lakh acres have been destroyed by the floods. About 6,000 villages, 11 cities and 72 towns have been affected by the floods, about 4 lakh farmers have duly uploaded information about the damage on the portal, while the number of victims is much higher,” he stated.
Addressing a press conference at his residence after visiting various flood-affected areas, Hooda said this time, the situation was worse than the floods of 1995. He visited many areas, including Yamunanagar to Rohtak, and listened to the problems of the people. He said the fields adjoining Yamuna were washed away along with all the crops and poplar trees. All the standing crops in the fields have been completely ruined. Sugarcane crops have been uprooted. All crops including paddy have been destroyed due to waterlogging.
So much sand has accumulated in the fields that it is impossible to harvest the next season's crop. Illegal mining in the area is responsible for making the floods more horrific. Under the protection of the government, illegal mining had reached such levels that it has changed the course of the Yamuna.
“From NGT to Supreme Court, everyone has exposed the government regarding this, but instead of taking action against the mafia, the government continues giving them protection,” he added.
Hooda said the Prime Minister and the Agriculture Minister should have taken stock of the damage caused in Haryana, like Punjab. Also, Haryana should have got a special package. “The Prime Minister not coming to Haryana shows the big failure of the state government,” he said.
“On top of that, the state government is also playing a dirty joke with the people in the name of compensation. The announcement of only Rs 7000-15,000 is like rubbing salt on the wounds of the farmers. When the initial cost of the farmers is Rs 30,000-35,000 per acre, the annual lease is about Rs 60,000-70,000 per acre, in such a situation, compensation of only Rs 7,000 is a joke with the farmers,” he added.
Hooda demanded that farmers should get at least Rs 60,000-70,000 per acre as compensation. “Houses, shops, buildings, and other establishments of thousands of people have been damaged, proper compensation should also be announced to cover all this,” he noted.
He said the government should immediately get a special Girdawari done instead of putting people through the hassle of the portal, and provide financial help to the farmers, as the portal is being created only to deprive the farmers of compensation. “Farmers of villages where there is 100 per cent damage are also being asked to register on the portal. Whereas when the government has to register cases of stubble burning, it takes a decision on the basis of satellite images. So does this government not see the flood in the fields in satellite images?” he questioned.
Hooda said when a similar flood occurred in 1995, the Congress government had given cash compensation to the farmers for all losses, including crops, farm sheds, tube wells, houses, and shops.
He added that the BJP has also committed vote theft by making BPL cards of lakhs of people before the elections, as lakhs of BPL cards were made in a hurry during the election. “Cards were also made for those people who were ineligible for it. By doing this, BJP took votes of lakhs of people in the elections and now after forming the government for the third time, it has started showing its true colours,” he said.
“Now BPL cards of thousands of families are being cut every day. Cards of those people are also being cut who are below the poverty line. By cutting the ration cards of about 11 lakh families, they have been deprived of the benefits of government schemes,” he pointed out.
Follow us
