The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today demanded that the Congress government

Chandigarh : The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today demanded that the Congress government come out with a comprehensive relief package for farmers whose crops have been damaged by incessant rainfall even as it asked why chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh and his ministers were missing from action even at this hour of grave crisis. 

In a statement here, former minister and SAD Kisan Wing president Sikander Singh Maluka said it was shocking that no relief had been announced by the Congress government to provide aid to the beleaguered peasantry which was facing an unimaginable crisis with cotton and paddy crops damaged over cast swathes in the State. 

“We demand an immediate relief of Rs 15,000 per acre for damage to cotton and paddy crops and Rs 20,000 per acre for paddy and vegetable crops. This is an interim solution only. A more comprehensive relief can be awarded once all assessments are done”, Mr Maluka said. 

The Kisan Wing president said it was condemnable that farmers were suffering since the last two days but neither the chief minister nor any ministers or even Congress legislators had found time for them. “The entire Congress party is engaged in celebrating their bogus victories in the panchayat samiti and zila parishad elections which they won by resorting to blatant goondaism. They are so power hungry that they cannot see the suffering of the anndaata who is facing a tragedy in the making”. 

Stating that the loss was most in case of cotton which had ripened and even started arriving in “mandi’s”, Mr Maluka said excessive rain had caused moisture in blooming cotton buds which had now blackened. “This will lead to discolouration of the cotton produce and will result in huge loss to cotton farmers in the Malwa belt”. 

He said similarly there were widespread reports of paddy being damaged, especially in central Punjab and Malwa belt, due to excessive rain. He said paddy had been flattened due to combination of strong winds and excessive rain. He said this would lead to discolouration of the grains and would also affect the yield adversely. 

The Kisan Wing president said there were large scale reports of destruction of potato and vegetable crops in Jalandhar and Ludhiana districts. He said potato crop had ripened and the incessant rain would result in rotting of the product. He said there were reports of vegetable crops being damaged in Mohali and Malerkotla areas. He said since input costs were very high in case of potato and vegetables farmers should be compensated appropriately.