Kiran Choudhry, Leader of the Haryana Congress Legislature Party, has demanded adequate compensation for the farmers of the state who have suffered big damage to the crops due to the unusually prolonged wet spell affecting many parts of the state.In a statement issued here today, the former Excise and Taxation Minister, said that the recent rains, accompanied by hailstones and strong winds, had damaged the crops, especially wheat and mustard, in several districts. While the rains have resulted in water-logging at some places, the accompanying strong winds have flattened the wheat crop in others. The mustard crop has suffered discolouration of flowers which may mean lower yield.“Given the extent of the damage caused to the crops putting the farmers to great losses, the BJP Government which keeps swearing by the farmers, should swing into action and announce liberal compensation, pending exact assessment of the loss to their crops”, she demanded.
Besides, in areas where the farmers have sown their wheat crop late and the grain size is still small, efforts should be made immediately to drain out water from the fields to minimize the loss.According to experts, the final impact on the wheat mustard crops will depend on how the weather behaves in the next few days. “With Met forecasting rainy spell in the next two days, the situation will only worsen”, Ms Choudhry said.Referring to reports in the media, she also condemned the failure of the Haryana PWD for not paying its low-paid employees wages on time, an issue on which the Punjab and Haryana Government has flayed the BJP Government.Even the Forest Department employees have not been paid. “It is for the first time in 20 years that the low-paid staff has gone without wages”, she added.