SRINAGAR, June 01 (KNS): Apni Party Chief Coordinator and In-charge District Kulgam Abdul Majeed Padder on Tuesday demanded prompt compensations from the government for hailstorm hit orchardists and farmers hailing from Nigeenpora, Waltengu in Qazigund.

In a statement issued to Kashmir news service (KNS), Abdul Majeed Padder said that due to incessant lockdowns the condition of the farmers and fruit growers has already become deplorable and such a natural calamity has only added to their existing sufferings.

“Today's awful hailstorm incident has shattered the hopes of agonized farmers and orchardists as it has left their crops utterly devastated. I urge the administration to dispatch assessment making teams on ground zero so that apt compensations be provided to the farmers who have incurred heavy losses in this ominous catastrophe,” he remarked.

Padder said that the farmers usually take loans from different financial institutions for the crop cultivation and pay it back when the product is sold in the markets, but sadly such natural disaster has ravaged their expectations.

“These already stressed farmers are now worried about the debt they had taken for crop production. They have no means to pay it back as they have lost everything in this hailstorm. However, the government must help them out in these trying times and make avenues to reschedule their existing loans and furthermore lend extra financial support to them, so that they can cope up with the current crisis,” he demanded.(KNS)