1.9 lakh acres bear brunt in Kaithal

Parveen Arora

Kaithal, March 4

The rain and hailstorms that lashed the region on March 2 and 3 have wreaked havoc in Kaithal district as well, leaving the farming community distressed.

Farmers demand compensation

Scores of farmers from various villages, including Kamalpur, Badsikri, Badsikri Khurd, Kichana and others, on Monday protested at the mini-secretariat to press for their demand of compensation. They handed over a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner, Kaithal, in support of their demands. The DC assured them of conducting a girdawari to assess the losses.

As per initial reports of the Agriculture and the Farmers’ Welfare Department, crops on 1,96,050 acres, comprising wheat on 1,84,250 acres and mustard on 11,800 acres, have borne the brunt of the adverse weather conditions.

The impact of the inclement weather has been reflected, with varying degrees of damage reported across the affected areas.

Out of the total affected area, nearly 57,500 acres, comprising wheat on 55,000 acres and mustard on 2,500 acres have suffered damage up to 25 per cent, while 57,000 acres, comprising wheat on 50,000 acres and mustard on 7,000 acres, have witnessed damage ranging from 26 to 50 per cent. An alarming 80,800 acres, comprising wheat on 78,800 acres and mustard on 2,000 acres, have reported damage ranging from 51 to 75 per cent, with another 750 acres — wheat on 450 acres and mustard on 300 acres — experiencing the most severe impact, with damage ranging from 76 to 100 per cent, said the initial report of the department.

“We have submitted the report to the higher authorities and field survey will continue to assess the situation,” said Dr Balwant Saharan, Deputy Director Agriculture (DDA), Kaithal.

He emphasised the importance for farmers who have insured their crops to promptly raise their claims through the online portal provided for such purpose. “If farmers face difficulties during the process, assistance is available at their nearby agricultural offices,” he said.

Mahinder Singh, a farmer from Rasina village in Kaithal, said he had cultivated wheat on 31 acres, mustard on one acre, potato on 16 acres and onion on two acres. “The recent rainfall coupled with hailstorm and high velocity winds has damaged over 50 per cent of crops. The wheat crop is still submerged in water.” He along with other farmers — Randeep Singh, Pardeep Kumar, Rampal Singh, Karam Singh and others — demanded that the government should compensate the farming community for the losses they had suffered.