Sagar urges admin to reach out to windstorm-hit families

Srinagar, May 20: National Conference (NC) General Secretary, Ali Muhammad Sagar on Tuesday called on the divisional administration to take immediate action in response to the severe weather conditions that struck Kashmir during the intervening night of May 18-19.
In a statement issued here, Sagar emphasised the urgent need to provide relief and compensation to those affected by the recent inclement weather. “The harsh conditions have wreaked havoc on the lives and properties of our citizens, making it imperative for the administration to intervene swiftly,” he said.
The NC leader said the adverse weather has severely impacted fruit and food grain production, jeopardising the livelihoods of countless small-scale farmers who are in desperate need of support.
“The gusty winds have inflicted significant damage on vital crops, including paddy, corn, apples, cherries, walnuts, and almonds, stripping trees of their foliage and undoing months of hard work,” he said, adding that hailstorms in certain areas have caused distress for both people and livestock, damaging homes and electricity transmission lines.
In light of the devastation faced by farmers and horticulturalists, the MLA Khanyar urged the divisional administration to take decisive action to assist those affected.
“It is important to conduct an immediate assessment of the losses incurred, particularly for cherry growers, to determine appropriate compensation that can be distributed without delay,” he said, adding that compensation should be based on the Minimum Support Price (MSP) to ensure fair and timely assistance to those in need.
Sagar called on the administration to deploy revenue teams to assess the ground situation urgently, enabling the swift determination and distribution of compensation to those who have suffered losses.