Sambalpur/Deogarh: Hundreds of farmers of Sambalpur and Deogarh districts are fuming over ‘inordinate delays’ in clearing the insurance claims of their damaged crops for last two years.
“For the last two years, we have been running to the offices of tehsil, DRCS and the agriculture department to get our insurance money, but our plight has fallen on deaf ears of the administration and the concerned departments,” said some farmers who staged agitations, protesting non-payment of crop insurance in Sambalpur, Monday.
Farmers of Dakara panchayat under Maneswar block of Sambalpur have started relay hunger strike at the tehsil office since Sunday.
Farmers from Dakara panchayat walked 30 km to the tehsil office amid blistering heat and started the hunger strike. They were adamant on their stand that they would not leave the place unless they are given any written assurance from the administration about clearance of their insurance money.
They wanted explanation from the Collector over ‘inordinate delays’ in payment of insurance.
The farmers warned that 10 farmers will sit in hunger strike in turns every day until their insurance is cleared.
The tehsildar held talks with agitating farmers, but it was futile. According to farmers, their crops were insured in 2018 kharif season. The crop got damaged due to unseasonal rains and pest attack in most parts of the district.
The Revenue department, the insurance company concerned and the Statistics department had conducted survey of the crop loss and prepared a report. Several panchayats in the district were enlisted in the report.
“Two years have passed, but their insurance claims have not been cleared,” they fumed.
About 800 farmers have approached the administration several times in the past about insurance, they said. An agitator said majority of the farmers in some panchayats have not received their compensation money.
Reports from Deogarh said, about 85 per cent of farmers in the district were covered under Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna in 2019-20. The cooperative societies have not yet paid their insurance till date. Though the farmers have taken up the issue with the administration in the past, no step has been taken till date, farmers alleged.
Members of Deogarh Zilla Sangharsh Samiti staged a hunger strike at the Collectorate Monday. Assistant Collector Kaibalya Kar talked to farmers, urging them to withdraw their agitation. However, the farmers refused to do so and warned that their agitation will go on until their insurance claims are settled. DAO Pradip Kumar Sahoo later assured the farmers that crop insurance claims will be cleared soon.
However, farmers remained adamant on their stand.
PNN
