STATE TIMES NEWS
KATHUA: DCC Kathua led by President & Former Minister Dr Manohar Lal Sharma along with Subash Gupta (EX MLC) & Davinder Singh Bindu (Senior leader) on Wednesday submitted memorandum to LG through District Development Commissioner Kathua pushing for early compensation to farmer against the damaged crops due to rains & hail storms.
While speaking Dr Sharma said that huge damages have caused to the crops due to unprecedented and unseasonal rainfall & hail storm in all blocks falling under assembly segments of Billawar, Basohli, Bani , Kathua, & Hiranagar of District Kathua. About 70-90 percent of paddy crop is destroyed whereas already sowed mustard crop, different vegetables and other seasonal crops are also totally damaged due heavy rain and hailstorm. Continuous rainfall and hailstorm has caused huge loss to the standing crops which was to be harvested soon.
While speaking Subash Gupta ( EX MLC) said most of these farmers are on loans from banks & unorganized sectors, as farmers are already facing financial crises due to change in weather every year, and concern departments never put their concern to help the agriculture industry which is at its lowest ebb from last few years.
Davinder Singh Bindu while speaking requested administration of Jammu and Kashmir must ascertain the loss due to rain & hail storm and compensate to the farmers adequately on fast track basis and help them survive the losses.
DCC Kathua put forward demands for early redressal which include government must gear the concerned departments to reach the farmers in Jammu and Kashmir and access the losses on the ground; minimum 8000 Rs per Kanal compensation be paid to farmers against the damages; KCC loan installments to be hold for next 6 month and also interest against the loans to be waived off. Government should pass an order to the Banks and Financial institutions not to put pressure on the farmers to pay back their loans until they get the compensation from government and free fertilizers and seed for sowing of next Crops to be provided to farmers.
Ravinder Paul Singh Nitu, Anil Bhardwaj, Parveen Bhagat, Dalvir Singh Seethes, Pankaj Sharma, Kulbushan Kumar, Dr Surti, Mohinder Sharma, Arjun Singh, Krishan Spolia, Ram Chand, Varun Sharma, Ghan Shyam Sharma, Arjun Singh, Sohan Lal, Bodh Raj Asharf and Abdul.