A crop-field damaged by the March rains
Rain-hit farmers who are reeling under severe debt due to crop losses following unseasonal rains and hailstorm have received another shock as they are being handed a paltry sum of Rs 63 as compensation.
A farmer from Rudauli Tahsil, Mohammad Shahid, reportedly received a cheque of Rs 63 for his crop losses in 3 'bhigas' of land.
"Why the government is playing with us? Selling the crops feeds my family. I also have to spend on medicines and school fees of children but what will I do with Rs 63," he said.
Mohammad Sabir, a farmer in Wajidpur village of Rudauli Tehsil reportedly received Rs 100 as compensation for the damage to his wheat crop in about 5 'bighas' of land due to the recent rains.
"My standing wheat crop has been damaged due to recent rains. After the state government's announcement regarding the compensation we were hopeful, but all we received was a cheque of Rs 100. My family is on the verge of starvation," he said.
Another farmer from Rudali Tehsil, Mohammad Muslim, claimed he too received a cheque for Rs 63 for damage of crops in his four 'bighas' of land.
Reacting to farmers' allegations, Faizabad District Magistrate/CDO Arvind Malappa Bangari said, "There may be some carelessness on the side of Lekhpals. The cheques has been issued on Lekhpal reports. If anybody feels the amount is not enough we will compensate them, but we are following the guidelines set by National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF)."
"The compensation amount has been set up by the government at Rs 750 per hectare," Mr Bangari added.