LAYYAH, March 26: Floodwater damaged standing crops on thousands of acres in areas between Layyah and Taunsa Sharif. Reports said that the recent spell of rain brought high flood in the river Indus. The floodwater along with river erosion wrecked havoc in the riverine belt of Kotla Hagi Shah union council.

After damaging of crops, the river erosion has started engulfing the land swiftly, posing a serious threat to localities of Basti Gurmani, Kalwar and Basti Kanjal. Residents of these areas are busy constructing a protective dike on self-help-basis. They have brought tractors and all available equipment to construct an emergency dike to protect their crops and residences.

A resident, Habib Khan Gurmani, said the river Indus had changed its course towards Layyah town by right of erosion, forcing thousands of inhabitants to move to safer places.

Local MMA leader Chaudhry Anwer Ali Gujjar said the district government should forthwith called off the Jashn-i-Baharan festival and the money thus saved should be spent on the protection of people and their crops.

Kotla Hagi Shah UC nazim Dr Javaid Iqbal urged the provincial government to take necessary steps to check river erosion and construct an additional dike for the protection of old localities.

Maher Fazal Hussain Sumra, the provincial parliamentary secretary for prisons in Punjab, said the district government and Layyah tehsil council could use available funds allocated for crisis management to protect inhabitants and their crops.

DCO Muhammad Mohsin Sherazi said the Layyah EDO (R), who is also the flood-fighting cell in charge, had gone to assess the damage done by the flood. He said the government would take all possible steps to minimize the miseries of flood-hit people.