Deputy CM Soni instructs Revenue Department officials to assess the lossFarmers to get compensation for loss caused by heavy rain

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, October 24

Deputy Chief Minister Om Parkash Soni assured farmers of compensation for the loss caused to their standing paddy crop in the fields by the untimely rain and hailstorm on Saturday evening.

While the paddy crop is fully ripe and ready to be harvested, the rain, especially hailstorm, damaged paddy in certain pockets of the district. As a result of the heavy showers, the harvesting of crop has also slowed down as heavy combine harvesters were unable to operate in wet fields.

Even the procurement process in the grain markets was affected, as the crop lying there was drenched and moisture in the grains increased.

Soni said preliminary reports have suggested that damage to crops was caused in Tarn Taran, Pathankot, Gurdaspur and Amritsar districts. He said in some pockets, the crop has flattened and farmers have reported grain loss due to hailstorm. Apart from paddy, the untimely showers have also caused damage to basmati crop, which is yet to ripe.

Soni said the Revenue Department officials have been instructed to get an assessment of the loss caused to the crops, so that compensation could be granted. He was addressing a gathering at Moolechak village. He also presented a grant of Rs10 lakh to the panchayat for development works in village.