Kulgam, Sep 03: Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Mohamad Yousuf Tarigami on Tuesday called for proper assessment and adequate compensation for those orchardists and farmers whose fruit and crops were affected by the recent gusty winds and hailstorms in south Kashmir.
Tarigami, according to a party statement issued here, visited the wind and hailstorm-affected areas in Kulgam district.
While visiting Mohamadpora, Nillow, Arreh, Pombay, Kakran, Mirhama and other adjoining villages of Kulgam, he consoled the affected growers and orchardists, whose fruit and crops have extensively been damaged due to hailstorms and gusty winds.
“The situation in the area is extremely terrible and devastating as the ripe fruit ready for harvesting stands damaged and in some areas, fruit trees have got uprooted,” he said.
The CPI(M) leader said the routine funds for affected farmers won’t render any assistance as the damages are huge due to unprecedented natural calamity this time. He urged the administration to waive off the KCC loans of the affected orchardists.
“We had time and again stressed the implementation of the Crop Insurance Scheme in the horticulture sector but unfortunately that was not implemented so far,” he said. “Non-implementation of the Crop Insurance Scheme has caused distress among the orchardists and farmers. The scheme will provide succour to the orchardists and mitigate financial losses suffered by farmers due to crop failures caused by natural calamities.”
On Monday, Tarigami brought the issue to the notice of the Director Horticulture, Kashmir who has deputed the teams to the area to assess the losses caused by the natural calamities.
