Jammu farmer gets Rs 32 as flood compensation

JAMMU: Farmers of Marh tehsil couldn’t believe their eyes when the state government recently handed out cheques compensating them for crop loss in the devastating floods of September last year: the maximum amount paid to one of them was Rs 113, the minimum, all of Rs 32.
Farmers said the PDP-BJP government was “rubbing salt into our wounds” even as the state agriculture department maintained that the amount was in keeping with central norms but a review was on.Further distribution has been put on hold after most farmers returned their cheques.
“It is an insult to us. We suffered losses worth thousands of rupees as floods in the Tawi river destroyed thousands of acres of farmland in the area. Some areas have been washed away,” said Marh sarpanch Vijay Kumar Sharma. “Instead of helping us re-establish ourselves after the huge losses, the BPJ-PDP government has not only played a cruel joke with us but rubbed salt into our wounds”.
“Rs 32 is the minimum and Rs 113 maximum amount being paid as compensation for flood damage caused to crops to the farmers of the area,” Balbir Singh Saini of Sarora village said. Mast Ram received a cheque for Rs 32 while Bholi Devi, a widow, got Rs 75. Another farmer, Shamsher Singh, received a cheque for Rs 47. Karan Singh, who received Rs 113, said the cheques were signed by the sub-divisional agriculture officer of Marh tehsil.
Director of agriculture, Jammu, S S Jamwal said the compensation has been given according to central CDRF (Community Disaster Resilience Fund) norms. “A joint team of agriculture and revenue officials have prepared the list and as per central CDRF norms, this compensation has been released,” he said, adding that the department was conducting a review following the outrage.
Sub-divisional magistrate of Marh Atish Gupta said, “We have received a memorandum from farmers on the compensation by agriculture department. We are just studying it. I don't know much as I have joined the post few days ago.”

Irrigation and flood control minister Chodhary Sukhnandan, who is the local MLA, did not respond to repeated calls. According to farmers, 15 acres of farmland and about 40% of their crops, including paddy, was affected in the 2014 floods.
Naib sarpanch from Marh Jagdish Raj said the government might as well have denied compensation. “Such provocative acts are making the farmers commit suicide,” he said. PTI