Imphal West farmers urged
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, May 10 2024:
Additional Director of Horticulture and Soil Conservation Md Zakir Hussain has appealed to the farmers in Imphal West whom they cannot visit personally but were affected in the devastating hailstorm of May 5 to submit the GPS imageries of their farms along with their particulars to the District Officer of the department.
He made the appeal while carrying out a crop damage assessment drive in several areas of Imphal West, today.
Notably, the officials of Horticulture and Soil Conservation had also taken out a similar drive in Thoubal and Imphal East too.
District Officer of Horticulture and Soil Conservation Imphal West Pukhrambam Pramo accompanied Md Zakir Hussain in inspecting the farmlands of the district affected in the May 5 hailstorm viz Narankonjin Mamang Leikai, Lilong Chajing Awang Leikai, Konthoujam Mayai Leikai, Ngairangbam, Moidangpok Awang Leikai and Phayeng among others.
The team witnessed farms where u-morok, pineapple, lemon and dragonfruit were planted affected and assured the farmers of assistance from the department side.
Speaking to the media by the sideline.
Md Zakir Hussain said that it is the cabbage farms which were largely ruined in the recent hailstorm.
Appealing to all cabbage farmers to take the benefit of PM Fasal Bima Yojana which guarantees full compensation for crop loss due to natural calamity, insect attack or devouring by cattle, he maintained that they will submit the records collected during the assessment drive to the Government to give compensation to the affected farmers.
He also said that the department will see what can be done to repair the green houses and net houses dismantled in the natural calamity of May 5.Meanwhile an affected farmer Rabi said that he planted about 40,000 u-morok plants at about 30 places by constituting three Farmer Interest Groups (FIGs) under MOMA but all of them have been wasted in the recent hailstorm.
He appealed to the Government to take up some initiatives to alleviate the suffering of the farmers.