February 24, 2003	Monday	Zul Hijjah 22, 1423

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window).

JHANG, Feb 23: Residents affected by the recent flood in Chenab have complained that government departments and agencies had done very little relief work in their villages.

They urged the government to declare the affected villages as calamity-hit and reschedule agri loans and postpone collection of farm tax and other government dues.

The flash flood in the Chenab devastated thousands of acres of standing wheat crop in villages on either side of the river in all three Tehsils of Jhang district.

River Chenab enters Jhang district near Pindi Bhattian and travels 170km downstream through all three subdivisions of the district. It is joined by Jehlum at Trimu headworks.

Floods in winter are an unknown phenomena in this part of the world. The recent flood was the first in living memory. This is why the farmers living on either bank do not feel hesitation in growing wheat and fodder close to the river. Some farmers even sow their crops on the dry riverbed.

The recent flood, following heavy rainfall in the catchment areas, was so abrupt that both the farmers and the administration were caught unawares. However, no loss of life or cattle was reported from any part of the district, as the flood water did not travel very far and affected only the villages situated on river banks.

Although, the irrigation and revenue departments are reluctant to give any figures, reports filtering in from various parts of the district suggest that there has been substantial damage to wheat and fodder crops. The hardest hit villages are Jhangar Gilhotran, Maru Killa, Khalar Awan, Alipur, Dadoawana, Jehan Khan, Khurianwala, Paccawala, Billi, Habib, Patowana, Mohal and Thatta Mohammad Shah.