Half-clad farmers march 37 km over pending crop compensation

Hisar: In a dramatic protest against delayed crop compensation and insurance claims, farmers from Daiyar village in Fatehabad district on Monday marched 37 km to the district headquarters in a half-clad state, alleging official apathy despite severe crop losses.The farmers, who have been protesting in their village for the past five days, said the symbolic march was aimed at drawing attention to their grievances after repeated appeals failed to elicit a response from authorities.On reaching the Mini Secretariat, the protesters found the main gate closed and staged a dharna outside. In the absence of deputy commissioner Vivek Bharti, city magistrate Gaurav Gupta received their memorandum and assured them that the matter would be examined.Led by Mahender Jakhar, Sunil Chahar and other farmer leaders, the protesters alleged collusion between insurance companies and agriculture department officials to deny legitimate claims.The farmers said their cotton crop suffered extensive damage during the 2025 season. While objections linked to insurance claims in other villages of Bhattu block had been resolved, Daiyar village continued to be excluded from compensation, they alleged.They also claimed that the insurance company was offering compensation of Rs 18,000 per acre against losses that warranted at least Rs 36,000 per acre.Warning of a stronger agitation if their demands remained unmet, the farmers said they would continue their protest until compensation was released.