Rs 1 crore loss due to rains

Pittance given as compensation to the farmers in Kolar district

The district administration had conducted a survey in this regard.

Rs 20 lakh has been released as compensation for those who have lost crops and houses and Rs one lakh to the family of a person who died when the branch of a tree fell on him due to wind and rain, he said.

Horticulture crops like mangoes, tomato and other varieties have been destroyed due to rain and storm in Kolar, Srinivasapura, Mulbagal and Bangarpet. Also a few houses have suffered damages, reported the survey, he said.

Krishnappa of Mattakallasanda village in Srinivasapura taluk had died when a branch of a a tree fell on him while he was grazing sheep. Rs one lakh compensation has been given to his family, said Prabhakar.

The agriculture, horticulture and revenue officials along with the tahsildars of the taluks had conducted the survey to assess the losses, he said.

In Kolar 40 houses and in Bangarepet 17 houses have been damaged and the damage is worth Rs 75,000. In Srinivasapura mango crop in 600 acres worth about Rs 20 lakh has been destroyed.

In Bangarpet tomato and sapota belonging to 123 farmers have been destroyed. It is estimated that this is worth Rs 78.50 lakh, he said.

Mango crop destroyed

It has also been reported that in the rain that fell about four days back, mango crop in 50 acres have been destroyed. The compensation is being given according to the amount fixed by the government to the farmers who have suffered losses due to rain. For Srinvasapura Rs 10 lakh and for Bangarpet and Kolar Rs 5 lakh each compensation has been released, he said.

Already compensation has been given in these three taluks. A preliminary amount has been given and once the farmers present proper documents then more money will be released, said Prabhakar.

Farmers are the backbone of the country and they are the ones who feed the nation is how every political party describes them. But when it comes to their plight neither the government not the people’s representatives address their problems. The compensation given to them during natural disasters is just a token. ‘

The prices of daily items are skyrocketing. Even though the salaries of MPs, legislators, government officials go up every year, the farmers get a pittance as compensation when they suffer losses due to natural calamities.

The compensation amount which was fixed several decades ago is still being implemented. Hence, when farmers suffer losses they are not properly compensated.