India, June 19 -- A 50-foot breach in the Neelowal canal on Thursday submerged about 150 acres of agricultural land near Khadial village in Sangrur district, destroying paddy and maize crops.

The incident triggered resentment among farmers, who accused the irrigation department of negligence. They said that they had repeatedly warned officials, including the sub-divisional officer and junior engineer, about the poor condition of the canal's embankment before the breach.

Satgur Singh, a farmer from Khadial, said, "Last week, we shared photos and videos with the SDO and JE, advising them to regulate the water flow to prevent a structural failure. But our warnings were ignored."

Jagdeep Singh, another farmer, said that the canal embankmen...