Yamuna floodplain nursery owners, Farmers CLAIM loss worth lakhs DUE to Frosty winter

NEW DELHI: The residents of Yamuna floodplains had come from their native villages in North India in search of employment and a permanent home. Yet they have been forced to lead a nomadic existence due to the vagaries of nature. The floods come in during the monsoon washing away their homes and during the winters, their crops are buffeted by dew.

This year, however, the winter arrived late. But when it did arrive, several crops were destroyed due to extreme dew and biting cold. Sitting on a cot, four nursery owners chase the elusive heat, as they sip on coffee and smoke cigarettes. They have claimed that this year, plants worth several lakhs were destroyed.

“Since we live close to the Yamuna, it always gets really cold here. We have been sitting in the sun for the past few hours, yet my legs are numb,” said Sunny, the owner of Chote Lal nursery, as he points at his leg which turned a tinge of blue.

“I have faced an unprecedented loss this year. I have lost at least Rs four lakh since November and when the temperatures dipped, I lost around Rs 40,000. My roses have all been destroyed,” he said.

Sunny points towards a black bag which contained the destroyed roses and mourns his loss. Many nursery owners were unprepared for the winter, as the frost turned many of their crops ashen black.

“It looks like somebody burnt them. In the morning, pellets of hail destroy the crops. We were supposed to sprinkle them with warm water before the sun rises,” said Arvind, the owner of Prem Nursery.

Many of the residents have claimed that they don’t burn wood for relief due to the NGT order forbidding the burning of wood. “We used to burn at least five kilograms of wood everyday to keep us warm. But this time around we haven’t burnt them. We are afraid that NGT officials will come and confiscate the wood. They will also claim that we are illegal residents. So we don’t burn firewood and give them a signal to harass us,” said Rinku, who works in a local nursery.

But hidden far away from the nurseries lies the large swathes of the Yamuna floodplains, where the farmers have no option but to burn wood. They live in temporary shelters and their children have reportedly fallen ill due to the cold.

“My husband goes into the jungle and burns wood. My children have fallen ill and the heat from the fire helps us. It also keeps the frost at bay. In some areas dogs died due to lack of heat,” claims Reena, a farmer.

With the winter at full swing, the farmers claim that they will wait till January 26 for the weather to improve but there are some who are planning ahead. “We came in search of a home but we are constantly on the move. When the rains come in, I will have to move again,” said Buchia Khatu, a farmer.