Compensate HP farmers for loss due to rain, hailstorm: CPI M

The party said the financial worries of growers have increased due to both Covid-19 and adverse weather conditions.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Friday asked the Himachal Pradesh government to compensate farmers and orchardists who have suffered huge losses due to the recent heavy rainfall and hailstorm.

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CPI (M) leader Sanjay Chauhan said due to recent heavy rainfall and hailstorm, fruit crops especially apples and vegetables like peas, tomatoes, cauliflowers etc were damaged in Rohru, Jubbal, Kotgarh, Kotkhai, Theog, Chopal, Rampur, Kumarsain, Nankhari, and Tikkar in Shimla district, Ani and Nirmand in Kullu district, Karsog and Seraj in Mandi district and in some parts of Kinnaur district. “However, the state government has not provided any financial package or relief to farmers and orchardists,” he said, adding that the financial worries of growers have increased due to both Covid-19 and adverse weather conditions.

“Even at a time of this crisis, the state government is not providing manure, seeds, pesticides and fungicides to growers. They have no choice but to buy expensive agricultural and horticultural material from the market,” he said.

The CPI (M) also asked the state government to waive off loans of farmers.