Excelsior Correspondent
KATHUA, Apr 30: The residents of Hiranagar Border area today protested at Marheen against the regular fire incidents due to short circuit in power supply lines in which wheat crop over 500 kanals of land turned into ashes in Hiranagar tehsil alone while the crop spread over hundreds of Kanals in Kathua and other district of Jammu has been damaged.
The protesters said that the farmers totally dependent on agriculture to feed their families have been put to heavy loss. The affected farmers of Hiranagar tehsil assembled at Marheen and held a strong demonstration against the PDD and district administration. They raised slogans against the administration and in support of their demands. The protesters including Karan Kumar, Purshotam Lal, Bishan Dass, Gopal Dass, Thakur Dass etc expressed their grave concern over regular fire incidents caused due to short circuit. They said power lines passing over fields are in loose and precarious condition and there is often short circuit during small wind. They said 500 kanals of wheat was turned into ashes in Hiranagar tehsil alone during last some days. Besides the farmers of Kathua, Billawar, Samba and Jammu have also been affected due to mysterious fire in their fields.
They said the fire incidents are not covered under Fasal Bhima Yojna and the same be brought under it. They alleged that administration and Revenue Department is not paying any attention to pay compensation. They demanded that portable fire tenders be pressed into service during harvesting of crops so that the fire is dozed immediately before it spreads other areas. They also demanded that Fire Safety Department should keep the fire tenders stand by to meet any eventuality.
Meanwhile, the issue was brought into the notice of Union Minister, Dr Jitendra Singh who also represents the Kathua-Udhampur Constituency by district president BJP, Prem Nath Dogra and BJYM National Executive Member, Bharat Sharma and sought immediate intervention of Government into the matter.
Dr Jitendra Singh assured them that he will take up the issue with Divisional Commissioner Jammu and other concerned authorities for payment of suitable compensation to affected farmers. He said besides, he will also issues directives to the administration to institute an enquiry to find out causes and exact reasons about fire so that premptive and suitable measures are taken.
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