Firms’ refusal to give relief irks apple growers

Kuldeep Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, May 24

Apple growers are up in arms against insurance companies as the latter have refused to cover storms, wildfire and other natural calamities under the weather-based insurance scheme (WBIS).

The storms have destroyed apple crop and uprooted apple trees, resulting in huge losses to orchardists in Shimla, Kullu, Mandi and Kinnaur districts.

“The situation is no better at Mandal, Nandpur, Hatkoti and Chajpur panchayats in Jubbal teshil,” said Lakshman Thakur, chairman of the Ecohorts Society.

“We asked insurance agents of the government-sponsored companies to assess the loss, but they refused to do so saying the storms are not covered under the WBIS,” he lamented.

Lakshman Thakur has urged Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and Horticulture Minister Vidya Stokes to come to the rescue of the farmers and take up the matter with the Central Government.

“More than 15 per cent to 20 per cent apple crop has been damaged this year. The storms have uprooted apple trees, depriving the farmers of their source of livelihood,” he said.

The worst hit are the root-stock based apple orchards in Theog, Jubbal and Kotkhai and Chopal.

Farmers in the apple belt of Churag-Mahunag-Seri in Karsog subdivision, Anni-Dalash and Seraj in Kullu district have also suffered huge losses.

Trees in the Maroag-Shantha-Dewat- Khagna- Bamta-Khaddar valleys in Chopal subdivision have also been uprooted.

In Narkanda, pine trees fell on apple trees. In Mandal, Jubbal, wildfires burnt dozens of the trees this year. “After a long struggle, the Central government included hailstorms under the WBIS,” said Prakash Thakur, vice-chairman of the HPMC. “We will take up the matter with Central and state governments,” he said.