 S Tahir-ul Haq
Early Times Report
KUPWARA, June 12: Heavy rains washed away a bridge in Bandipora district while as hail storm wreaked havoc at various places in North Kashmir districts, thus causing massive damage to crops.
Hailstorm wrecked havoc in maximum areas of North Kashmir including Kreeri, Wagoora, Vizer, Thindma in Sangrama constituency, Vizer, Palpora, Langate , Zurhama, Gujarpati, Awoora, Halmatpora, Rafiabad, Zangeer and lower areas of Bandipora causing massive damage to crops, walnut, cherry, apricot, apples and vegetables.
At least there was a hailstorm for five minutes which damaged orchards, and other standing crops like maize, apples and other varieties.
Mohammad Shaban from Langate said that this time the farmers were expecting that there will be good crops, but that is not to be at least for the time being. This year it seems the nature wants to punish us, as the weather usually remains on and off and one fails to understand that is it a sign of global warming or something else.
Even though last time there was also hail storm, but we were not given any compensation from the authorities, horticulture department only registers the details of households only, said an orchardist.
The orchardist said that this time the authorities are fully aware that farmers are at lost; especially apple growers and compensation should be given for the losses at the earliest, and let the department make a quick assessment so that we could get some justice from the government.
The climatic conditions have adversely affected the crop production, and from another side the incessant rains don't allow the crop to grow as is expected.
Sources said that heavy rains washed away a bridge in Arin village of Bandipora district on Wednesday. There are several villages including Lowdara, Kulhama, Lankreshipora, Kunzpora and Gund Jahengeer was inundated due to incessant rains since Tuesday, said sources.
Whereas incessant rains also damaged agricultural crops in Lowdara, Kulhama and Kunzpora, Kaloosa village of the district, while several residential houses got inundated in Bandipora area, sources told ET.
Meanwhile there are reports that, four persons including two brothers and two women were injured after a lightning struck at Naidkhai area of Sumbal in Bandipora district on Wednesday.
The lightning struck at Naidkhai this afternoon when a group of people were busy in planting paddy saplings in Naidkhai, the injured have been referred to hospital for speedy recovery, reports said. |
