Farmers shocked at getting meagre compensation

Friday, 25/09/2015

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BATHINDA: The government distribution of compensation to farmers for loss to their cotton crop has left much to be desired as farmers have received cheques for as low as Rs 80.

The cheque for `80 that Harpal Singh of Shergarh village of Talwandi Sabo block in Bathinda district received.

In a cruel joke with farmers, the government has handed over compensation cheques for `80, `149 and `162 to four farmers.

If the cheque amount is considered, the farmers own less than a yard of land, on which they had cultivated cotton, which was uprooted following the whitefly attack.

On the basis of the girdawari done by the revenue department, the Punjab government has started compensating only those farmers who uprooted their crop following the severe pest attack.

According to information, Harpal Singh and Amarjit Singh of Shergarh village in Talwandi Sabo were handed over a compensation of `80 and `162, respectively, while Jhalaur Singh and Sahib Singh were given cheques for `149 each, for their loss.

Harpal said, “Our family owns 1.5 acre of land and if the revenue department divided the land among my four brothers, even then I should have got more than Rs 2,000. But I got only `80, with which I can’t buy even a single meal for my family.”

According to the government policy, in case of 100% damage to the cotton crop, the affected farmers will get a compensation of `8,000 per acre.

Other farmers shared the same sentiment. Amarjit said his family ploughed three acres of land, while two other farmers uprooted the damaged cotton from one acre each.

“Why shouldn’t farmers protest when the state government is playing such cruel jokes with them,” said Shingara Singh Mann, district president of Bhartiya Kisan Union. He said the farmers had failed to understand the criterion behind the compensation.

Talwandi Sabo tehsildar Kuldeep Singh said the farmers had been compensated on the basis of their land shareholding data available in the revenue records. However, he could not give a satisfactory response when told about the cheques for such a meagre amount.

Deputy commissioner Basant Garg said the compensation was calculated according to the revenue records after assessing the loss through girdawari. “The farmers will be provided compensation according to the government policy, that is R 8,000 per acre,” Garg said.