Did Former Madhya Pradesh Minister Narottam Mishra Address Rains That Damaged Crops?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Unseasonal rains have severely damaged crops in Madhya Pradesh.
- The Gwalior-Chambal region is the most affected.
- Former Minister Narottam Mishra is advocating for financial support for farmers.
- Estimated crop damage is around Rs 5,000 crore.
- Farmers are struggling to protect their crops from further rain damage.
Datia, Nov 1 (NationPress) Unseasonal rainfall accompanied by strong winds over the past week has caused extensive damage to paddy crops that were nearly ready for harvest across various districts in Madhya Pradesh. This situation has led the state government to initiate a loss assessment to provide financial aid to the affected farmers.
The Gwalior-Chambal region, which recently experienced severe flooding during the monsoon, is reportedly the most impacted area, with districts like Morena, Datia, and Sheopur facing significant crop losses.
Former State Home Minister Narottam Mishra, who inspected the ravaged paddy fields in Datia, stated on Saturday that farmers have suffered substantial losses and assured that they would receive compensation.
Mishra, who has been actively campaigning in poll-bound Bihar for about a month, returned to his hometown Datia on Saturday to assess the crop damage.
He instructed the Tehsildar Officer to ensure that Patwaris (revenue officials) initiate a survey promptly.
"The excessive rainfall has led to major damage to paddy crops here in Datia. I plan to meet Chief Minister Mohan Yadav to discuss farmers' grievances. He has already ordered a swift survey," Mishra remarked during a media briefing.
According to Kamal Singh Anjana, President of the State Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS), the heavy rainfall has devastated crops in several other districts including Rewa, Jabalpur, Narmadapuram, Mandla, Dindori, Hoshangabad, Harda, Betul, and Sehore.
"Kharif crops such as paddy and maize worth approximately Rs 5,000 crore have been destroyed. If the rains persist for another three to four days as predicted, the losses could escalate further. Farmers are attempting to shield their crops with tarpaulin sheets, but saving everything is nearly impossible," Anjana expressed on Wednesday.
Earlier in the week, a farmer named Kailash Meena, who had cultivated paddy on around nine bighas of land, reportedly took his own life after heavy rains flooded his fields, ruining his crops and eliminating his investment in seeds, fertilizers, and labor.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has linked the ongoing precipitation to a depression over the Arabian Sea, a trough line moving through Madhya Pradesh, and an active cyclonic circulation in the northern region.
In combination with Cyclone Montha, these weather systems have resulted in unrelenting heavy rainfall affecting many areas of the state.