Rohtak farmers in distress as hailstorms damage crops

Ravinder Saini

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Rohtak, March 3

Farmers in many villages here are in distress following extensive damage to their standing crops of mustard and wheat due to hailstorms coupled with high-velocity winds and rain yesterday.

Though the local office of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department is in the process of assessing crop losses, while the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) claims that rabi crops have suffered extensive damage in more than 50 villages of Rohtak district.

“Balamb, Baniyani, Patwapur, Kakrana, Sunaria, Mayna, Madaudhi, Shimli, Kheri Sadh, Pahrawar, Kanheli, Garhi Bohar, Baland, Karor, Kalahwar, Naunand, Paksma, Chulana, Atayal, Mungan, Kasreti are the worst-affected villages as per our survey conducted for assessing estimated losses to mustard and wheat crops due to the hailstorms,” claimed Sumit Kumar, state secretary, AIKS.

Parmod, a distressed farmer from Pakasma village, said the hailstorm completely damaged his wheat and mustard crops spread over 21 acres. He did not have insurance cover this time as nothing was compensated by the insurance firm in previous years despite the crop losses. The farmers would be ruined if they are not given financial aid, he added.

“My wheat crop, spread over 11 acres, have suffered big losses. Similar is the situation with other farmers in my and the surrounding village. A majority of the farmers do not have any insurance cover hence the state government should come forward to bail us out of the crisis by providing adequate compensation,” said Rajesh, a distressed farmer from Mungan village.

Ashok of Mayna village said the crops were growing well and all were expecting a bumper yield this time, but our hopes were dashed. “The hailstorm has wreaked havoc on wheat crop spread over 1,500 acres in our village and a majority of the farmers do not have insurance cover so the government should announce special girdawari,” he claimed.

Dr Karamjit, Deputy Director (Agriculture), said agriculture officials were inspecting the hail-affected villages in the district to ascertain estimated losses to the mustard crop. A preliminary report was likely to come soon. “The mustard is cultivated over 30,000 acres in the district. A considerable number of villages have suffered crop losses,” he added.

Meanwhile, former minister and senior BJP leader Krishan Murti Hooda today visited various villages of the Kiloi-Garhi Sampla constituency to take stock of the situation. “The farmers have suffered heavy losses due to crop damage by the hailstorms. I will call on Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar to apprise him of the situation and to raise the demand for special girdawari to assess actual losses for providing compensation to every affected farmer,” said Krishan Murti.

The Haryana state committee of the AIKS has expressed sympathy and solidarity with the farmers in various districts where crops have been severely damaged by hailstorm and high velocity winds on Saturday.

“Rain and hailstorms have caused extensive losses to the farmers as their rabi crops have fallen flat at a time when these were advancing towards maturity and most of the investments had already beenmade,” said Inderjit Singh, national vice-president, AIKS.

The AIKS demands immediate special girdawari to be undertaken by the Revenue Department so that the damage can be compensated.