Farmers awaiting their MPs in adopted villages

PITHORAGARH: In an example of apathy of people’s representatives and government machinery towards harassed farmers who have lost their cereal and vegetable crops due to prolonged rainy conditions this year, even the villages adopted by three MPs from the region, under ideal village development scheme of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, are not being taken care of by either the district administration or MPs themselves.

Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, April 18

In an example of apathy of people’s representatives and government machinery towards harassed farmers who have lost their cereal and vegetable crops due to prolonged rainy conditions this year, even the villages adopted by three MPs from the region, under ideal village development scheme of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, are not being taken care of by either the district administration or MPs themselves.

The villagers of Jumma in Dharchula in Pithoragarh, and Supi village in Bageshwar district, adopted by Almora MP Ajay Tamta, are still waiting for the MP to come and take stock of the damage by rains this year. “Being situated in the interiormost part of the district, the 2,500 population of Jumma village is still waiting for the MP to visit the village as our potato and wheat crop has been damaged to the extent of 59 per cent,” said Kausalya Devi, former gram pradhan of Jumma village adopted by Almora MP Tamta.

According to the former head of gram panchayat, the MP who has visited the village three times after adopting it, has not visited it after the rain havoc destroyed the crops. “We have informed the MP of damages caused to crops and vegetables, who, in response, has said he would visit the village soon and will try his best to make the villagers get compensation for damages,” said Kausalya Devi.

The villagers from another village of Supi in Kapkot sub-division, adopted by Almora MP under the Prime Minister’s scheme, has not been visited by the MP after crops were damaged by rain and hailstones.

According to the villagers, they have informed the Revenue Department of losses to the crops this year. “The MP, who has announced he would adopt the village under the Prime Minister’s scheme, has not visited us after the damages to crops and destruction of infrastructure in the village in recent rains,” said Yashpal Singh Takuli, village panchayat head of Supi village.

The same situation is being faced by villagers of Roilmail in Lohaghat sub-division of Champawat district. The village has been adopted by Rajya Sabha MP Mahendra Singh Mahra. “We have been informed by the MP that he has instructed the district administration he would visit the village and take stock of the crop losses, but no one has come to our village even to soothe our feelings,” said a resident of Rolmail village, adopted by Congress Rajya Sabha MP Mahendra Singh Mahra.