Rain, hailstorm damage crops, farmers seek relief
Tosham MLA Kiran Choudhry wants spl ‘girdawari’ to assess loss
More than 70% of the mustard crop in many villages of Siwani and Behal areas in Bhiwani district has been damaged due to untimely rain
SAJJAN LAKHLAN, a farmer
ROHTAK: Farmers in Bhiwani, Rohtak, Sonepat and Mahendergarh districts were left in shock after their crops were destroyed for the third time in the past one month due to unseasonal rainfall and hailstorm.
In villages of Sonepat’s Rai, Mahendergarh, Rohtak and Bhiwani’s Behal and Siwani areas, farmers said that this time their crop was damaged for the third time in a month and they have been crying for financial aid.
Devender Sheoran, a farmer from Bhiwani’s Sidhanwa village, said they had witnessed a blanket of hailstorm over their fields on Wednesday evening. “Crops of mustard, barley, wheat and grams were destroyed in many parts of the district. Many villagers in our area faced hailstorm for the third time and their entire crop was damaged. We are pinning hopes on financial assistance from the government to make up for the losses,” he added.
Sajjan Lakhlan, a farmer from Bhiwani’s Surpura village, said that according to their estimates, 70-100 per cent of the crops in many villages of Siwani and Behal areas has been damaged due to hailstorm and rains.
“The government should announce compensation for the crop losses — at least Rs 30,000 per acre — within a week. We want the district administration to conduct crop damage assessment survey and release adequate compensation for farmers,” he added.
Rain accompanied by hailstorm destroyed the mustard and wheat crops of Dalbir Singh, a farmer from Mahendergarh’s Rambas village.
“We have not suffered such a huge loss in the past 20 years. Our mustard crop was ready for harvesting in the next two weeks, while the wheat crop was due in four weeks. But, when hailstorm hit the village, these crops got flattened and damaged the seed. I had not enrolled my crop under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana. We are hoping for government’s support now,” he said.
Expressing concern over the crop devastation, Tosham legislator Kiran Choudhry said that the government must order special ‘girdawari’ to assess the loss following untimely rain, hailstorm and high velocity winds.
Haryana agriculture minister J P Dalal said his government would give adequate compensation to farmers whose crops were damaged due to unseasonal rainfall and hailstorm.
“In this tragic moment, our government is standing by the farmers and they need not worry,” he added.