CPM demands compensation for farmers hit by untimely snowfall

Expressing concern over the loss caused to horticulture due to snowfall in the Kashmir valley, the CPI(M) today demanded immediate assessment of damage and compensation to the affected farmers and orchard owners.
"Thousands of fruit and other trees are reported to have suffered massive damages due to latest snowfall in Kashmir Valley. There should be immediate assessment of losses suffered by the farmers on account of this snowfall," party's State Secretary and MLA Kulgam Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami said.
Adding that thousands of apple trees have either been broken or uprooted due to snow, he demanded that "the government must depute an expert team to assess the losses especially in the most-affected South Kashmir region."

Saying that the CPI(M) has since long been demanding implementation of crop insurance scheme in the state to benefit the farmers hit by natural calamities, Tarigami favoured early relief to the affected orchard owners and farmers.
Pointing that the people in Valley had already been bearing the brunt of hard winter supplemented by the scarcity of essential commodities, he urged for sensitising of administrative machinery to rescue affected people and make immediate efforts to restore the essential services.
Regarding massive water-logging in various parts of Srinagar and other areas of Kashmir, Tarigami urged the government to pump water out of the inundated areas at the earliest.

Emphasising to streamline power supplies affected by recent snowfall in the Valley, he said the government must address the problem of frequent power breakdowns. "Efforts be made to restore power supply as soon as possible in areas which are still reeling under darkness."
The CPI(M) leader also demanded immediate compensation for the five families whose houses were reportedly collapsed due to snowfall in Pulwama and Shopian districts.