SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) senior leader and former legislator Rafi Ahmad Mir on Sunday expressed serious concern over the losses caused to crops and orchards across Kashmir divisions due to hailstorm and urged the J&K UT administration to provide immediate compensation to the affected orchardists and farmers accordingly.
In a statement issued here, Mir said that the hailstorm, gusty winds and incessant rains have caused huge damages to crops and orchards in various districts of South Kashmir especially in Pahalgam belt in Anantnag.
“The hailstorm has wrecked havoc in Aishmuqam, Sallar and Budroo areas of Pahalgam which has resulted into huge loss to fruit and other agricultural crops in the district. There are similar reports from certain high altitude areas of North and Central Kashmir where the heavy rains have damaged orchards and destroyed other crops as well,” Mir said, while demanding an immediate assessment of these losses by the restive district administrations.
He said that amid the prevailing lockdown, the financial condition of fruit growers and farmers is already abysmal and most of the farmers and fruit growers are not in a position to purchases pesticides and fertilizers to prevent spread of crop diseases.
