Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, July 7: Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Conference senior vice president and former minister Abdul Gani Vakil today expressed serious concern over the damage caused to crop and fruit and other standing crops due to recent windstorm in north Kashmir and other parts of Valley.
Vakil demanded early compensation to the orchardists and farmers who suffered losses. He alleged that whenever natural calamities cause damage to the fruit and crops, the worse affected are assured compensation and surveys after surveys are conducted but no relief reaches to them.
Vakil called for a comprehensive compensation for the farmers and orchardists who suffered extensive damages due to heavy snow and hailstorm last year and now due to recent intensified wind storm.
He urged the UT Government to provide immediate assessment of damages to crops and disburse financial relief to the affected farmers without any delay.
“Crop Insurance Scheme (CIS) must be implemented in Jammu and Kashmir so that the scheme will save the fruit growers and agriculturists in the event of losses suffered due to natural calamities. Waiving of KCC loan is also need of the hour so that fruit growers will have a sigh of relief as their old one demand is fulfilled,” Vakil added.
“A mountainous state like J&K always witnesses natural calamities of different nature. Govt must form a comprehensive and sustainable plan for this,” Vakil added.
If the Government failed to address the important fruit industry God forbid the thousands of people will be deprived of their livelihood which is unbearable as it will add the present economic crisis in the J&K, he added.
Follow our WhatsApp channel