Punjab floods: SAD to help flood-hit farmers back on their feet, says Badal

Chandigarh, Sep 8 (PTI) Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Monday said his party has a comprehensive programme to help affected farmers get back on their feet which includes relief material as well as provision of certified seed for the forthcoming wheat crop.

He demanded a compensation of Rs 50,000 per acre for flood affected farmers as well as compensation for farm labourers.

After an emergency meeting of senior leaders and district presidents over the flood issue, Badal disclosed he had booked 500 trucks of maize silage for distribution at the village level.

He also announced that arrangements had been made to purchase 500 trucks of compressed hay (dry fodder).

Besides this, he announced that the party had purchased 500 fogging machines which would be distributed in flood affected areas and would be manned by party volunteers to ward off spread of malaria and other diseases.

Asserting that the SAD would not only provide relief material but was looking ahead also, Badal said "we will distribute certified wheat seed to farmers for one lakh acres of land".

He said besides this, 30,000 quintals of seed would be distributed in flood affected areas. He also announced that the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee had acceded to his request to hold 125 medical camps headed by doctors and staff of the Guru Ramdas hospital, Amritsar simultaneously in flood affected areas.

"Twenty-five teams of veterinary doctors have also been constituted to ensure the welfare of livestock in flooded areas", he said.

He also announced that volunteers would help in clearing sand from farmer fields.

Badal also demanded a loan waiver for all flood affected farmers, while asserting that the six month moratorium on loans would not help farmers who would need two to three years to recover their losses in the floods.

He also demanded the state government increase ex- gratia for loss of life to Rs 10 lakh per victim instead of Rs 4 lakh as announced.

Badal also demanded a compensation of Rs 1 lakh per animal for loss of livestock, besides compensation for all damaged houses.

He demanded that compensation for crop losses be given to the cultivator be it the owner or the lessee.

On Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit on Tuesday, Badal said he should announce a Rs 20,000 crore flood relief and rehabilitation package for Punjab during his visit to the state.

"A special monitoring committee should be instituted to disburse this relief to ensure it is not misused as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government does not have an answer to what it has done with the Rs 13,000 crore lying with it under the Disaster Management Fund", he said. PTI CHS NB NB