Showers cheer farmers, expose claims of civic body

Heavy rainfall in the district on Thursday was welcomed by farmers who were waiting for it for the last many days. With temperature soaring, they were concerned about the yield of their crops.

The rain also exposed the tall claims of the local Municipal Council authorities of making arrangements in advance to drain out the rainwater. Knee-deep water accumulated on all roads, bazaars and other areas in the city besides some government offices in the town.

Harpal Singh Pannu, Chief Agriculture Officer (CAO), said there had been 38 mm of rainfall in Tarn Taran and 32 mm in Patti sub-division. The Chief Agriculture Officer said that the rain will prove to be much beneficial for the farmers as it is the peak time to sow the paddy crop in the district and rainwater was necessary for the crop already sown.Normal life was derailed, especially in the morning, as power supply was suspended for hours and waterlogging affected normal work in the town.

The accumulation of knee-deep water on Amritsar-Chabal bypass affected normal traffic and it became difficult to drain out the rainwater. The worst affected was the SDM office complex which was filled with rainwater. It may be mentioned that it is the SDM who is also the Administrator of the Municipal Council, Tarn Taran.

The road leading to the office of the Tarn Taran MLA Dr Kashmir Singh Sohal, the local city police station complex, Gandhi Municipal Park, Municipal Council complex, Old Grain Market and other places were filled with rainwater. The situation is expected to continue for a few more days. Jasbir Singh Thekedar, former president, said the situation could have been prevented had the municipal authorities cleaned the underground pipes and the storm sewerage system in advance. Arvinderpal Singh, SDM-cum-Administrator, Municipal Council, neither responded to mobile phone calls or to messages sent on his WhatsApp number.

Surjit Singh, a farmer of Mundapind village, said the heavy rain was being awaited by farmers and will prove to be of much benefit for the paddy crop.

Amritsar