After four-month delay, relief disbursed to rain-hit in Abohar

Our Correspondent

Abohar, August 31

Having been under fire from Congress legislator Sunil Jakhar for the past three days over the delay in the distribution of cheques for damages to residents in rain-hit colonies last year, the state government today set the process in motion.

Jakhar had flayed the administration for not distributing Rs 1.52 crore that had been released in April this year.

In the past four months, two Sub Divisional Magistrates had been transferred. None was appointed on a regular basis.

Heads of affected families were last night asked to reach the Market Committee office in the New Grain Market on Wednesday morning to receive their cheques.

Some residents said after handing over cheques to a dozen persons, others were told that SAD and BJP local units’ presidents would distribute the rest of the cheques later.

Upset over this, Congress councillors spoke to Jakhar and the latter approached the administration over phone. He reportedly told officials that SAD and BJP local leaders had boycotted the Sangat Darshan held on his request by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in Rajiv Nagar that was the worst hit by rain in September 2014.

Even after that, none of them had taken care of the affected slum areas, he added.

Thereafter, the administration decided to get cheques distributed through officials who headed the survey teams to assess losses suffered by residents in slum areas.

Affected people were asked to collect their cheques from the divisional office of the Punjab Water resources Management and Development Corporation here. Sub Divisional Engineer Prahlad Bhagat Gumber gave away cheques to the claimants.