Punjab govt to allow farmers to clear sand from flood-hit fields: Sisodia

Aam Aadmi Party ( AAP) leader Manish Sisodia on Sunday said the Punjab government would soon allow farmers whose fields were inundated by floods to remove sand deposits to ensure smooth sowing of the rabi crop later this year.

"Farmers are very worried about their crops. The crops that have been submerged due to the floods. The damage is already done. However, they are concerned that the sand flowing into the fields due to the floods will make their future crops difficult. That is, when they will sow the Rabi crop in November or December, if the sand remains there, then there will be a problem. Mining policy does not allow mining without permission," Sisodia told reporters at a press conference.

"On this, CM will immediately bring a policy in the next one or two days, and farmers will be allowed to extract sand; in a way, farmers will be allowed to mine sand from their fields. On behalf of Aam Aadmi Party, I want to assure all the farmers of Punjab that your entire feedback has reached the government, and the government has almost decided that the farmers will be given permission for mining," he said.

He added that a formal announcement would be made once Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann recovers and returns to work.

Meanwhile, Punjab Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond said on Saturday that 40 villages in the state were affected by floods and relief operations were underway with rescue teams, administration and volunteers on the ground.

As of Saturday, 46 people have lost their lives due to floods in Punjab, according to the officials.

Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said that nearly 2,000 villages and over four lakh people have been affected.

He said that 24 teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and two teams of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are on the ground, supported by 144 boats and a state government helicopter.

He added that the Revenue Department has released Rs 71 crore for relief efforts.

Speaking to ANI, Sond said, "Our rescue teams have been deployed. Our entire administration, ministers, and organisations are among the people... A total of 40 villages are affected. We have arranged food for the animals and medical facilities for both humans and animals in those villages. About 23 of our camps are operating here.