Farmers look on in despair as rising Yamuna destroys their crops

  • | Wednesday | 21st August, 2019

In Yamuna Khadar area, close to the flood plains, women sell vegetables they grow in the now-inundated fields to earn their livelihood. "We have been growing vegetables in Yamuna Khadar area for decades. "We were informed by the authorities about the rising water level (Tuesday afternoon). They have lost their standing crops due to the rise in water level. Farmers have lost crops worth Rs 40 lakh," said Devender Kashyap, pradhan of Yamuna Khadar area.

NEW DELHI: The rising Yamuna has swallowed standing crops worth an estimated Rs 40 lakh of at least 200 small and marginal farmers on the outskirts of Delhi and forced them to flee the flood plains to take shelter in temporary camps set up on higher grounds. But they say they are helpless and unable to bear the loss of their crops (mainly vegetables), the only source of income for many of these poor farmers. In Yamuna Khadar area, close to the flood plains, women sell vegetables they grow in the now-inundated fields to earn their livelihood. Chandrawati, 50, says she has to take care of her five young daughters. She was forced to move out of her residence on Monday night and take shelter in a temporary camp set up by the government as the expected rise in the water level threatens her home. "We have been growing vegetables in Yamuna Khadar area for decades. My husband used to do this. After his death in 2004, I have been doing farming with my five daughters. We are now struggling to stay afloat," she said. The farmers, who have no control over the flow of the river in spate, say they are now clueless what to do or how to deal with the situation they are in now for apparently no fault of theirs. Hemanti, 50, said she too left her home last night and has been putting up at a road near the Old Yamuna Bridge. "We were informed by the authorities about the rising water level (Tuesday afternoon). We lost around Rs 25,000 and no one is talking about it. It was our only source of income," she said. More than 10,000 people have been moved out of the low-lying areas since Monday before the river breached the danger mark and entered the Nigambodh cremation ground. "There are about 200 farmers dependent only on farming (near the flood plains). They have lost their standing crops due to the rise in water level. Farmers have lost crops worth Rs 40 lakh," said Devender Kashyap, pradhan of Yamuna Khadar area.

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