SIALKOT: Land erosion by the River Chenab that had been affecting far-off Bajwat villages was now threatening 20 more in the area, causing serious concern among local population.

The phenomenon, according to local farmers, was posing a serious threat to agricultural land and even houses in the villages, including Khanu Bhau, Papeen, Saddarpura,Gangwal,Kaliyaal,Ghazipura, Kaliyaal, Khundo Chak, Belly, Tadyalla, and Wadgraan.

These villages were also badly hit by September 2014 catastrophic floods in Chenab, Tavi and Jammu Munaawar rivers.

`We had faced the devastating floods in the River Chenab (in 2014) and now we are threatened by land erosion,` said a farmerof Papeen village.

According to the affected locals, the river`s flow had become faster which also increased the speed of land erosion. They said the phenomenon was eating up their agricultural land and now it was also threatening their houses.

They said many of the locals had started shifting their belongings and cattle to safer places fearing sudden land erosion.

Affected farmers, including Muhammad Shafi and Sufi Ahmed Khan, told journalists that as many as 10,000 acres of fertile agricultural land had so far been eroded in Bajwat villages by the River Chenab during the last seven years.

They urged Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to announce early financial compensation for the af fected farmers.

Four years ago, locals had constructed three unpaved embankments near the villages threatened by the river on self-help basis to avert erosion. Now, they say, these embankments have become ineffective due to the faster river flow.

They say a huge quantity of stones lying `useless` near Head Marala barrage for several years could be used to fortify theweakened unpaved embankments, but irrigation officials concerned were not doing the needful.

Sufi Ahmed Khan, Kissan Mazdoor Ittehad Phookaliyaan president, said erosion of 10,000 acres of fertile agricultural land was a great loss for the poor farmers who were in dire need of government help and financial compensation to avert further losses.

A progressive farmer, Muhammad Suleman Ghumman, alleged that no government formed any strategy to give financial compensation to the affected farmers.

Mr Khan also urged the chief minister to visit the Bajwat area to witness the plight of erosion-hit farmers.

Local agriculture department officials, confirming erosion of 10,000 acres during the last seven years, said the phenomenon was a result of changing of river course.

They said dozens of villages were being hit by erosion.

The affected people, including women and children, had protested against the alleged negligence of the concerned officials and local politicians in this regard.

Director of a local NGO -CommunityDevelopment Concern (CDC) -Abdul Shakoor Mirza, said the land erosion was depriving agriculture-dependent locals of their livelihood and houses. He deplored that no one had yet announced any ñnancial compensation and relief package for them.

He said the low river water level had increased the speed of land erosion, posing a serious threat to Papeen village. If steps to protect the village were not taken within the next couple of days, it might be eroded, he warned.

Meanwhile, local MNA Armughan Subhani and MPAs Tariq Akhtar Subhani, Manshaullah Butt and Rana Muhamamd Iqbal Harnah visited the erosion-hit villages in a boat. They expressed concern over the situation, terming it dangerous.

They urged the provincial and federal governments to ensure early action to save the local population from land erosion.

They pledged a relief scheme for the affected people by involving the Flood Control Authority.

They also asked District Coordination Officer Nadeem Sarwar to take steps to help resolve the issue.