Farmers protest at Kathua

Excelsior Correspondent
KATHUA, Apr 10: Hundreds of farmers drawn from different parts of district today staged a protest demonstration in the Kathua town against the failure of the Government to take the cognizance of the farmers plight who have suffered heavy loss due to recent rains and hailstorm in the Jammu province.
The farmers shouting slogans against the callousness of the Government said that standing crops of wheat and oil seeds were totally damaged due to rains and farmers were put to heavy loss. The farmers who have taken loans from banks and other organizations are not in a position to repay the same, the added.
The protestors demanded immediate compensation be paid to farmers after assessing the losses suffered by them. They demanded that Agriculture Department and Revenue Department should assess the losses on the basis of war footing so that timely relief can be paid to affected farmers in the region.
Later the farmers also submitted a memorandum to ADC Kathua highlighting their demands. They warned to intensify the agitation in case the demands were not settled within stipulated time.