SIALKOT: The people displaced by the flooding in the River Chenab three weeks ago have returned to their villages only to see the fast current of the river is eroding their farms along 20 Bajwat villages.

The farms being eaten up by or on the verge of the fast current of the river include Papeen, Khanu Bhau, Papeen, Saddarpura, Gangwal, Kaliyaal, Ghazipura, Kaliyaal, Khundo Chak, Belly, Tadyalla, Papeen and Wadgraan.

“About three weeks ago, we faced devastating floods in the River Chenab and now we are in the face of erosion,” said a villager from Papeen-Bajwat, saying the pace of the erosion was fast and it was a matter of time before Papeen became part of the river course.

Muhammad Shafi, alias Chief Sahib, and Sufi Ahmed Khan told Dawn 10,000 fertile acres had been eroded in Bajwat villages in the last few years. The Sialkot agricultural department also admitted the erosion in the last six years has eaten up more than 10,000 acres in bordering villages.

They demanded that Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to announce early financial compensation for them.

Three years ago, they said, villagers had constructed three unpaved embankments near Bajwat to save their acres from erosion but they failed to withstand the faster flow of water in Chenab.

They said a good stock of stones was lying near Head Marala which the irrigation department should have provided for village embankments.

Sufi Ahmed Khan, Kissan Mazdoor Ittehad of Phookaliyaan president, said with the erosion of 10,000 acres in the six years, several local farmers had been deprived of their land and livelihood. He invited the chief minister to visit the villages and see the devastation which had made dozens of farmers landless and homeless. Progressive farmer Muhammad Suleman Ghuman said there was no strategy by any government to give financial compensation to these farmers.

The affected people alleged local politicians and the government did nothing to protect their source of livelihood.

Non-governmental body Community Development Concern Director Abdul Shakoor Mirza said low water level of the River Chenab had increased erosion.

Published in Dawn, September 23rd , 2014