Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 8: Expressing concern over heavy losses to farmers and orchardists following heavy hail storm and gusty winds that unleashed havoc in the parts of North Kashmir the other day, National Conference has urged the divisional administration to provide compensation to the people whose properties and processions were damaged by the fury of weather.
In a joint statement, NC leaders Dr Sajad Uri, Javaid Dar, Qaisar Jamsheed Lone and Mir Saifullah said that the hapless people are beset with gloom and despondency. “Struggling to come to terms with the losses, they have set their eyes on administration to rescue them from the setback. It is expected that the district administrations will access the losses at an earliest and ensure disbursement of compensation to the affected without delay,” the statement reads.
“Caught in a quandary, the orchardists and paddy growers are weighed down by debts. The people have spent their entire diminutive savings on the procurement of fertilizers and oils for this year’s crop hoping for a good yield to run their household chores. However the disappointing outcome has destroyed their dreams, leaving them cash strapped and ineligible for bank credit for the next season. Weighed down by bank loans, the farmers are not in a position to carry out agriculture practice in the ensuing year. They had set their eyes on this year’s produce to pay for the loans due to the bank and manage their households,” NC leaders observed.
Alleging that the Government in its capacity has so far failed to provide insurance and financial support to farmers in the events of crop failure and destruction due to severe weather conditions in previous months, they said: “So far nothing has been done. The revenue teams are yet to access previous losses incurred by them, not to speak of the recent ones.”
The NC functionaries impressed upon the divisional administration to depute revenue teams to the affected areas to access the losses to people without any delay. They urged the divisional administration and respective district commissioners of north and central Kashmir to also restore the water and power supply to affected areas at an earliest.
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