Srinagar, May 15 (GNS): The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference on Saturday expressed anguish over the losses to the farmers due to the heavy hailstorm that lashed swaths of District Kupwara, Anantnag and Kulgam demanding immediate relief to the affected.
In a statement, Party’s senior leader and Former Legislature Choudhary Muhammad Ramzan said the heavy hailstorm that lashed north Kashmir the other day has in particular affected Kupawara’s Shehlal, Harnipora, Waripora, Mawer, and Qaziabad areas where, he said farmers have incurred heavy losses to their standing crops. “For farmers, the worst case scenario is the repeat of lock down and the incessant weather vagaries that hasn’t seen any let up since November last year. The other day also various areas of the district Kupwara witnessed heavy rains, accompanied by hailstorms and gusty winds. The severe weather condition that lasted for hours played havoc with farmer’s standing crops. I am given to know that the weather vagary has defoliated, bent, breaked and stripped plants of vegetative parts, hence destroying the months of hard work of our farmers. In addition to it the hailstorm has significantly caused fatal trauma to people and cattle at various places. The heavy downpour has impacted orchids, shrubbery, electricity transmission lines at various other places as well,” he said.
Keeping in view the havoc, the severe weather played with the people’s crops and property, the district administration Kupwara is expected to come to the rescue of those affected. “The district administration should immediately rush revenue teams to the affected hamlets of District Kupwara to access the losses incurred by people especially the farmers and horticulturalists so that a proper compensation is worked out at an earliest and distributed among affected forthwith,” he said demanding that the compensation to the affected farmers and horticulturalists be given on the basis of MSP.
Meanwhile in wake of the hail storm that hit many areas in south Kashmir districts particularly Pahalgam, Bijbehara; Party’s South Zone President Dr. Bashir Ahmed Veeri and District president Anantnag Altaf Ahmed Wani have also impressed upon the district and divisional administration to come to the rescue of affected. A severe hailstorm on Wednesday hit large areas of Dachnipora causing colossal damage to orchards and destroying almost the entire fruit crop, as well as, standing crops in Liver, Kathsoo, Budroo, Srigufwara, Khiram, Nowshera, Hetgam, Mehind, Sirhama, Salia and other areas. The duo has asked the administration to provide compensation to the affected farmers, and horticulturalists immediately. (GNS)
