Kulgam: CPI(M) leader Mohamad Yousuf Tarigami on Tuesday visited the wind and hail storm-affected areas in South Kashmir’s 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 hail storms and gusty winds. “The situation in the area is extremely terrible and devastating as the ripe fruit ready for harvesting stands are damaged and in some areas, fruit trees have been uprooted.:
He said that proper assessment should be done and adequate compensation be provided to the affectees. The routine funds for affected farmers won’t render any assistance as the damages are huge due to unprecedented natural calamity this time. He also 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 added. “Non-implementation of the Crop Insurance Scheme has caused distress among the orchardists and farmers. The scheme will provide succor to the orchardists and mitigate financial losses suffered by farmers due to crop failures caused by natural calamities.”
The CPI(M) leader brought this to the notice of the Director of Horticulture Kashmir who has deputed the teams to the area to assess the losses caused by the natural calamities.