Minister for Agriculture, Ghulam Hassan Mir said that on September 16, 2013 about 59 villages of District Kupwara witnessed hailstorm and rains which damaged paddy and other standing crops.The Minister was replying to a Calling Attention Notice by Syed Mohammad Rafiq Shah in the Legislative Council today.The Minister said that a committee comprising of officers headed by Deputy Commissioner, Kupwara with Chief Horticulture Officer, Kupwara, District Agriculture Officer, Kupwara, Tehsildar Kupwara, Tehsildar Handwara and Tehsildar Karnah conducted extensive tour of the affected areas and assessed losses and suggested remedial measures in this regard.Mr. Mir said that damage to paddy and other standing crops is almost 100 percent in some villages like Tikker, Batergam, Bohipora, Hiri, Hayan/Kababmarg, Kawari, Laderwan, Avoora, Alchizeb, Zirhama, Marhama, Gulgam and Gushie and 30 to 40 per cent in Gotingoo and Hanjipora and spread over about 3787 hectare (1792 hectare rain fed and 1995 hectare irrigated).
The Minister said although no loses were reported to fruit crop in Kralpora block, the extent of damage reported ranges from 10 to 80 percent in Harie, Hundi, Kawari, Laderwan, Zurhama, Awoora, Alachizeb, Hayan, janjipora villages of Trehgam block with production loss of about 3488 tonnes. In other areas of Kupwara, Drugumulla and Sogam extent of losses reported were 15-30 per cent with production loss of about 1550 tonnes.The Revenue Department provided relief to affected farmers through the concerned Deputy Commissioner as per State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) norms, he added.