Govt orders ‘girdawari’ post crop damage

Deepender Deswal

Tribune News Service

Hisar, December 1

Following damage to mustard crop and early sown wheat crop in Bhiwani, Fatehabad and parts of Hisar and Sirsa districts due to hailstorm, the state government has directed the authorities to assess their crop loss.

Agriculture Minister JP Dalal inspected some villages in Bhiwani district. He said the government had decided to get crop loss assessed by holding ‘girdawari’ where hailstorm had caused damage.

“On the basis of the report, farmers will be compensated for damage,” he said after visiting Patwan village. He admitted that mustard crop had suffered significant damage due to hailstorm.

The hailstorm damaged rabi crops last Tuesday and Wednesday. Bhartiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Arya demanded special ‘girdawari’ and adequate compensation for the farmers who had suffered losses.

Tosham MLA Kiran Choudhry wrote to the Chief Minister, urging him to get ‘girdawari’ done in affected villages and ensure adequate compensation for farmers who suffered losses.

Agriculture officials said except certain pockets where the recent hailstorm destroyed mustard crop, intermittent rain last week turned out to be a boon for the rabi crops, especially wheat.

They said rain not only provided water for the wheat crop, which needed irrigation after early sowing, but brought down temperature as well, which would prove beneficial for the crop.