Farmers demand compensation

HUNDREDS OF villagers and farmers whose crops were damaged by hailstorm on March 11 took out a procession from Surajkund crossing and staged a dharna at the district magistrate’s office on Tuesday. 

They handed over a memorandum to the district magistrate, demanding compensation from the State Government.  Residents of Jungle Hari Bhajan, Hanuman Chak, Bahrampur, Piprapur and other areas assembled at Surajkund crossing and took out a procession, led by local MLA Dr RMD Agrawal. Women from various localities participated in the procession that passed through various routes and culminated in a dharna at the district magistrate’s office.  Dr Agrawal said it was the State Government’s moral responsibility to pay compensation, just as it provided relief in other natural calamities.  He said kharif crop was washed out by floods. Mustard, wheat and tomato crop were damaged by hailstorm.

Deputy director Agriculture RK Singh had termed this loss irreparable within 15 minutes of the hailstorm.