Rain destroys crops at Sirsa village, farmers call for immediate relief

Heavy rainfall in recent days has wreaked havoc on the farmers of Rupawas village in the Nathusari Chopta block, Sirsa. Fields have turned into ponds, submerging nearly 800 acres of standing crops. The farmers now face deep distress and uncertainty about their future.

According to Rupawas village sarpanch Udaypal Dhillon, the situation is dire. On Monday, he submitted a memorandum to Tehsildar Ajay on behalf of the villagers, addressed to the Chief Minister of Haryana. “If immediate action is not taken, the farmers may be pushed to the brink of starvation,” he warned.

The farmers said there was no outlet for the waterlogged fields, making it nearly impossible to sow the next crop. Agricultural labourers, who depend on daily wages, had also lost their livelihood due to the flooding.

During the submission of the memorandum, several villagers and leaders from the Gram Swaraj Kisan Morcha, including state general secretary Jagdish Rupawas, Naresh Kumar, Chunnilal, Vipin Kumar, and Rajpal, were present in large numbers.

Meanwhile, Sirsa Deputy Commissioner Shantanu Sharma has informed that an e-compensation portal has been opened to report crop losses due to heavy rainfall and waterlogging. The farmers across the district can submit their crop damage details on the portal until September 17, which has been extended from the earlier deadline of September 15.

He appealed to all farmers to upload their crop loss details accurately to ensure timely aid. The DC added that the step is essential for processing compensation under the Kharif crop loss assessment.

Key demands

• A permanent solution for water drainage in the affected fields

• Immediate crop damage survey and payout under crop insurance

• Data rectification on the insurance portal for those not yet covered

• Compensation of ₹50,000 per acre for damaged crops

• Relief funds for affected landless agricultural labourers and their families