No relief for torching crop

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Bhubaneswar: Amid controversial incidents of paddy crops being set ablaze by farmers due to pest attack, Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Damodar Rout Sunday said such farmers who had burnt their pest-infected crop will not be given compensation as losses cannot be estimated ‘‘if there is no crop in the field”.
“How can they be given compensation if there is no crop in the fields? How can the officials estimate the losses,” questioned the minister. He also asserted the family of Brunda Sahu, a farmer of Bargarh who had allegedly committed suicide after he set his paddy field on fire, would not get any compensation. However, the farmers who have suffered more than 33 per cent crop loss due to pest attack or due to natural calamity will get compensation as per Relief Code, the minister said.
Rout, who chaired a high-level meeting with senior officials of his department here Sunday, said, “Around 1.1 lakh hectare crop have been affected by pest attack while pesticides were used in 68,000 hectare. Crops in 34,000 hectare have been worst affected.”
As announcement of compensation is a revenue and disaster management department subject, a meeting of Special Relief Commissioner (SRC), Orissa State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) and revenue department officials will be held Monday, where they will decide the quantum of compensation or package, Rout pointed out.
Over the death of farmer Brunda Sahu, Rout said an investigation is needed to ascertain the reason behind his suicide. ‘‘No farmer faces financial issues, especially at this time of the year. They may be in distress that does not mean they have nothing to eat,’’ he said.
The government cannot be blamed if farmers take loan from private lenders. The government has been providing loans to farmers without any mortgage and is not insisting on recovery from them, the minister indicated.
Reacting to Rout’s statement, state BJP president Basant Panda said, “The minister’s statement lacks humanity. It is unfortunate and condemnable for the civil society.” Panda alleged the death of farmer Brunda Sahu is a ‘‘murder committed by the administration’’ and not a suicide.
“Farmers in the state are suffering but the government has no concern for them. Such farm policy is an insult to democracy,” he added. PNN