“It is a clear case of many a slip between the cup and lip,” This was how P.T. Parameshwar Naik, Minister of State for Labour and district in-charge, reacted to the extensive damage caused to standing paddy crop that was ready to harvest in vast patches in villages of Ballari taluk on Saturday.
“The rain god, through the heavy pre-monsoon showers that lashed the district in the second week of April and again on Thursday night, has deprived the farmers of a good yield. Their labour for about four months has gone unproductive. With the extensive damage in vast patches, they are not in a position to get around 50 per cent of the yield. Even that is harvested, may not fetch them good price, for the grains, which were inundated for over 24 hours, have started stinking and will not be consumed even by animals,” he said at Jalihal village.
Farmers and their leaders, including Darur Purshotamgouda and Bylur Lakshmikant Reddy, who had gathered in large numbers, took the Minister to some of the worst-affected areas, where the paddy plant was in a decomposed state.
They also urged the Minister to prevail upon the government to announce adequate compensation, commensurate to the cost of cultivation.
Mr. Naik instructed Deputy Commissioner Sameer Shukla, tahsildar Pramod and Joint Director of Agriculture K. Ramappa to carryout a joint survey to assess the extent of damage caused to the crops.
He also insisted that the survey team visit all the fields, conduct tests on the quality and condition of the plant and the grain, to assess the crop damage and submit a fair report.
