Bhopal: The hailstorm that lashed different parts of the state in past three days has damaged crops in 621 villages of 13 districts, official statistics say. Crops spread over 27,000 hectares of land were damaged. Bhopal, Vidisha, Sehore, Seoni, Balaghat, Dewas, Chhindwara, Hoshangabad and Betul districts are worst hit.
Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan reviewed the situation at a meeting at his residence on Wednesday and discussed the relief measures to be taken. He said that teams of patwaris, gram sevaks, officials of the agriculture department and elected representatives should be constituted immediately for assessing the loss.
He said that the assessment should be done in a comprehensive and transparent matter. The survey reports should be displayed for people at panchayat offices and objections should be invited. If the objections are found valid, necessary amendments should be made. He said that the farmers would be compensated for the entire loss using government funds and crop insurance payouts. He said that that the government will extend all possible assistance to affected farmers of natural calamity.
