Jahangeer Ganaie
Shopian, Jul 21 : Scores of residents and orchardists from Zainapora and neighbouring villages staged a protest on Monday, demanding the urgent implementation of a comprehensive crop insurance scheme and a reassessment of compensation for damages caused by the recent hailstorm.
Led by former MLA and DDC member Aijaz Ahmad Mir, the protesters voiced their outrage over what they described as “insultingly low” compensation, ranging from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500, for extensive damage to apple and cherry orchards.
According to the news agency, the farmers gathered in Zainapora, raising slogans against the administration’s “apathetic” approach toward the horticulture sector, which is the backbone of South Kashmir’s economy.
“This is not compensation; it’s humiliation,” Mir said. “Our orchardists are suffering, and the administration’s response is mere tokenism. We demand a transparent survey and fair compensation that accurately reflects the ground realities.”
The hailstorm that struck several villages, including Nagbal, Chitragam, and surrounding areas, caused widespread destruction to cherry orchards just days before harvest. Farmers estimate their losses run into lakhs, and the relief announced by the government has failed to alleviate their hardships.
“Rs 1000 can’t even cover the diesel cost for spraying pesticides after the storm,” lamented Abdul Jabbar Dar, an orchardist from Nagbal. “It is rubbing salt on our wounds.”
Mohammad Yousuf, another affected grower, said, “Our entire season’s hard work has been destroyed. What we received as compensation is a mockery.”
The farmers said they do not seek charity but justice for their labour and produce. They called for the immediate implementation of weather-based crop insurance schemes and the streamlining of disaster relief funds to ensure timely and fair compensation, especially amid increasingly unpredictable weather patterns.
They added that when Agriculture Minister Javid Dar, along with local MLA, visited the area after the hailstorm, farmers had hoped for better compensation, but their expectations remained unfulfilled.
“We are willing to bear the insurance costs; the government must prioritise implementing a weather-based crop insurance scheme to prevent such losses in the future,” they asserted.
The farmers expressed concern over their livelihoods, which depend heavily on fruit cultivation, and questioned where they would manage their daily expenses if their crops were damaged.
They appealed to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and senior officials of the horticulture and revenue departments for direct intervention, a reassessment of losses, and transparency in relief distribution.
“This is a test of governance,” Aijaz Mir said. “If the administration truly values the farmers, they must act now, not with symbolic gestures, but with concrete policy measures.”
Farmers urged LG Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, and concerned ministers to take immediate steps toward the implementation of a comprehensive crop insurance scheme to safeguard their future
