GUJRAT: Eroding a huge chunk of agricultural land of three villages of Kot Ghulam area, the Chenab river now threatens populated area.

At least 150 acres of land is on the brink of further erosion if the authorities did not take practical steps to strengthen the embankment with solid stone studs, warn local farmers and residents of Kot Ghulam, Kherianwali and Sheikhpur located only a few kilometers away from Gujrat city’s famous Shahdaula Road.

The local administration says the matter has already been sent to the concerned authorities in the irrigation department as well as the provincial government for necessary action.

Scores of residents of aforementioned villages have lodged a strong protest against what they term an official apathy towards resolving their issue despite the fact that the district disaster management authority DDMA had also mentioned it a threat to local farmers, farm land and population of at least 5,000 people.

Chaudhary Yasir Mubarik advocate, a former general secretary of Gujrat District Bar who is a resident of Kot Ghulam village, told Dawn that the river flow was now hardly a dozen feet away from the residential localities of the village due to constant erosion by the river.

He apprehended that in case of an expected high flood in the river, the remaining portion of the land might also get eroded.Another farmer said that all the senior officials of the district administration, irrigation department and DDMA had already inspected the the affected area but a concrete action was awaited.

Gujrat Deputy Commissioner Safdar Virk told Dawn that the DDMA had already recommended shifting of available reserved stones to Kot Ghulam to protect the eroding land.

Some big trees have been uprooted and thrown into the troubled point as a temporary arrangement to divert the water flow.

Published in Dawn, July 23rd, 2024