2 years on, Mansa cotton farmers await crop loss relief

Sameer Singh

Tribune News Service

Mansa, September 29

Farmers from eight villages of the district are still awaiting compensation for the crop loss suffered in a heavy hailstorm in June 2019. They have made several rounds of government offices in the past two years, but to no avail.

BKU to launch agitation

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The BKU (Kadian) recently submitted a memorandum of demands to the Mansa administration, seeking compensation for crop loss. If it fails to release the amount within 10 days, we will launch a stir. Jaggar Singh, BKU (Kadian) leader

Then DC had ordered a girdawari in the affected villages of Behniwal, Peron, Raipur, Birewala, Jherianwali, Tandian, Bajewala and Bhamme Kalan. Subsequently, a report was submitted to the state government, but the compensation has eluded farmers to date.

Kewal Singh, a farmer from Raipur village, told The Tribune: “I had cultivated cotton over 27 acres, but heavy hailstorm and rainfall damaged my crop completely. As I did not receive compensation, I had to take loan to sow cotton for the next two seasons.”

In Raipur village, cotton was sown over 3,000 acres. As per farm union leaders, more than 80 per cent of the crop was damaged.

Gurjant Singh, a leader of the BKU (Ekta-Ugrahan), said: “The hailstorm damaged crops in the neighbouring Bathinda district as well. A majority of farmers there received Rs 12,000 per acre in compensation. However, Mansa farmers continue to wait for relief. Why the government meted out indifferent treatment to us when the crop loss in Mansa district was more widespread?”

Mansa DC Mohinder Pal said, “I have asked senior officials to examine the records. They will submit a report to me within two days. If the records corroborate with farmers’ claim of crop loss two years ago, compensation will be provided to them.”