After Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal held Sangat Darshans in the parliamentary constituency of Punjab Congress president Partap Singh Bajwa, the Gurdaspur MP on Monday visited Muktsar — Badal’s home turf.
Accusing Badal of playing politics, the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president said that the Chief Minister preferred to hold Sangat Darshan in Qadian, Bajwa’s home town, “instead of taking care of people in his own home constituency”.
“People in lambi, Malout, Gidderbaha and Muktsar constituencies are waiting for Government help even after two weeks of flash floods,” he added. Visiting the flood affected areas of Muktsar and Faridkot districts, Bajwa expressed serious concern over the slackness in flood relief work. He went on to accuse the Chief Minister for paying no heed to the plight of people, severely hit by floods.
“Standing crop in about 1.74 lakh acres is damaged in Muktsar district alone, 236 villages are affected in Malwa and schools in 60 villages are still lying closed. 6.5 lakh acres of standing crop is damaged in whole of Punjab but maximum damage is in Muktsar with 1,01,394 acres, Malout with 54,520 acres and Gidderbaha with 18,600 acres. Hundreds of houses are damaged in flood hit areas,” pointed Bajwa.
Moved to see people’s plight, Bajwa said: “It is astonishing that Chief Minister has spent most of funds for flood protection in Muktsar, Faridkot, and Ferozepur districts and these areas are heavily affected. For other dozen districts of Punjab, Badal has sanctioned only Rs20 lakh for the purpose. During last six years, Rs1,900 crore is spent on strengthening of canals banks and flood protection works.”
Alleging misutilisation of funds, PPCC chief said that SAD-BJP Government had earmarked Rs922.64 crore for irrigation and flood control sector in 2012-13, which includes 75 per cent Central grant.
Bajwa reiterated his demand of Rs25,000 per acre compensation for fully damaged crops and Rs15,000 per acre for partial damaged crops, while assuring for full support from the Centre. He also demanded Rstwo lakh for each of houses demolished in floods.