Srinagar/May,26: Senior PDP leader, Mohd. Dilawar Mir and his son MLA Rafiabad, Yawar Dilawar Mir has expressed grief over the losses caused to the standing crops and fruits due to intense hailstorm in Upper belt of Rafiabad Friday.
Expressing solidarity and sympathy with the hailstorm hit farmers and orchardists, the father- son duo have asked the district administration Baramulla to send joint teams comprising officers of horticulture, agriculture and revenue departments to assess the losses caused to the crops and fruit due to high intensity hailstorm so that quantum of loss and extent of ex-gratia relief could be worked out for the affected people.
They have also asked for sending officers and scientists of horticulture and agriculture department for providing expert guidance to the farmers for alternate cropping post -hailstorm so that affected farmers could be helped in this hour of need. They said that almost entirely population of the kandi belt of Rafiabad comprise Below Poverty Line ( BPL) who have been left high and dry due to unprecedented hailstorm storm demanding that the Government must come to their rescue and provide them relief on war footing basis. They have demanded that 50 percent loss affected farmers should be provided fee ration and cash relief besides supplying free altenate seeds.
The father-son duo have appealed to Chief Minister, Ms. Mehbooba Mufti, Finance Minister, Dr. Haseeb Drabo and Chairman , J& K Bank, Parvaiz Ahmad to waive off bank loans of 100 percent affected orchardists and fruit traders need to be especially those of KCC loans.