Shopian, Aug 07: A day after strong winds and intense rainfall battered parts of Shopian, apple growers were left counting losses as thousands of freshly fallen apples lay scattered across orchards, while a few houses also sustained damage in the affected villages.
Officials said the worst-hit areas include Hind Sitapora, Mantribugh, Batapora and a few other villages in the Kachdoora Zone, where damage to apple orchards has exceeded 50 per cent, with losses reaching around 70 per cent in some pockets.
Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Zainapora Bilal Ahmad told Rising Kashmir that nearly 3,000 families have been affected by the windstorm and intense rainfall.
He said teams from the Revenue, Horticulture and Agriculture departments, along with the Tehsildar and Naib Tehsildar, visited the affected villages to carry out a priority-wise assessment of the damage and ensure that all eligible government assistance is provided without delay.
SDM Zainapora said the administration’s preliminary assessment found extensive damage to fruit orchards, particularly in Hind Sitapora, where losses are estimated at around 70 per cent, while damage in almost all affected areas is above 50 per cent.
Describing the losses as substantial and a matter of concern, he said assessment teams are visiting every affected area to prepare detailed reports.
He said compensation under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) norms would be provided on priority to eligible beneficiaries after completion of the assessment process.
