NANGAL SOHAL, PUNJAB – The floods that ravaged villages along the Ravi river have left behind a trail of destruction, with farmers now facing insurmountable challenges as they begin to assess their losses. For many, the soil that once fed them has turned barren, buried under thick layers of silt.
With the wheat sowing season just six weeks away, farmers are in a race against time. The biggest challenge is clearing the silt, which is anywhere from 4 to 5 feet deep in many places. “We have already lost our paddy crop. We fear that we will not be able to sow wheat too. It will take at least three to four weeks for the silt to dry. Moreover, roads are broken,” said Harpinder Singh of Nangal Sohal, his voice filled with despair.
The scale of destruction is overwhelming, with fields closest to the riverbelt being the worst hit. Surjit Singh, a small farmer from Ghonewal, described his heartbreak. “My neighbours told me there is a 40 to 45-foot-deep crater in my field,” he said. The lost field boundaries mean that a fresh “nishandehi” (demarcation of land) will be required, adding a bureaucratic hurdle to their ordeal.
A government announcement allowing farmers to sell sand from their fields has offered little solace. Farmer Joginder Singh explained the practical difficulties: “It requires huge resources. The permission is only till November 15. Where will we store this sand, and who will buy it? In the end, those already in the sand business will purchase it from us at throwaway prices.”
For these farmers, their fields, once a symbol of resilience, now resemble wastelands. The challenge is immense, but with no other choice, they must now battle against time, silt, and uncertainty to reclaim not just their crops, but their very livelihood.