Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 27: Accusing the Govt of apathetic and indifferent approach towards the farmers of Jammu region whose crops have been damaged by untimely rains and hail storm, NPP activists led by its chairman and former minister Harshdev Singh held a strong protest demonstration at Exhibition Ground here today.
Seeking compensation for the crop losses sustained especially in the border belt of Jammu region, the protestors raised slogans against the Govt and sought personal indulgence of Lt. Governor of J&K so as to rescue them from starvation.
Speaking on the occasion, Harshdev said that paddy growers on the borders had suffered unimaginable damages to their standing crops due to vagaries of weather which needed immediate attention of the Government. He said that even where harvesting had been done, massive water logging had buried the produce with the farmers left high and dry. He regretted that non- extension of ‘PM Fasal Bima Yojana’ by the Union Territory Govt had further added to the woes of the affected farmers reeling under distress. He further deplored the casual approach of the administration who had failed to pay even a visit to the affected areas to take stock of the situation and to assess the losses sustained by farmers.
While addressing media persons, Singh alleged disregard of Jammu’s farmers vis-à-vis the Kashmir orchardists, saying that only in the recent past an order was issued by the Govt fixing the Minimum Support Prime (MSP) for Kashmiri apples by introducing Market Invention Scheme (MIS) without effecting any corresponding increase in the support prices of any of the crops produced by Jammu region farmers. Not only that the Govt was procuring the Kashmir apples through its own agencies so that the Kashmir farmer was adequately compensated for their produce. Singh pointed out that on September 5, the Union Govt had announced that for the first time NAFED will be involved tor procuring 13 lakh metric tons of apple from Kashmir at a cost of Rs 5,000 crores.
Flaying the Centre for the unfulfilled promises made with border dwellers, Singh regretted that tall slogans of allotment of five Marla plots in safer zones and special recruitment drive for them had also proved to be mere “Jumlas”. He regretted that border dwellers were seduced by the BJP leaders with false promises during elections only to be left at the mercy of God after attaining power.
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