Patna: State agriculture minister Ram Kripal Yadav on Sunday asked the officials concerned that the extent of damage caused to standing rabi crops, winter maize and fruit flowers by the unexpected high-velocity winds accompanied by rain and hailstorms that lashed the state on Friday and Saturday be surveyed so that timely compensation can be paid to the affected farmers.The minister asked the department’s principal secretary, secretary and director, including the director of the horticulture wing, to mobilise DMs and other district officials to conduct an assessment of the damage.“The state govt, led by CM Nitish Kumar, stands in empathy with the plight of farmers who have suffered crop and other damages. The officials have been directed to provide all assistance to farmers, since the latter hold natural claim to the state’s treasury in the hour of natural disaster,” Yadav said, adding that compensation would be paid quickly to affected farmers after the survey of crop damage is completed, while other forms of assistance are also being assessed.The standing crops damaged include winter maize and rabi crops such as wheat and pulses, as well as the flowers of mango and litchi. Over the last two decades, winter maize had emerged as a major cash crop in eastern Bihar districts. However, its market price had already dipped last year due to a fall in exports to Bangladesh and later because of setbacks faced by maize-based ethanol plants in the state. Now, the natural calamity has dealt another blow to the standing crops.While high winds, storms, rain and hailstorms lashed north Bihar districts from Champaran in the west to the Seemanchal region in the east, as many as 19 districts north of the river Ganga have been the worst affected. In contrast, the damage in south Bihar districts appears to be less severe, as they received only light rain.Among the districts hit by strong winds, rain and hailstorms are Purnia, Katihar, Kishanganj, Araria, Begusarai, Samastipur, Madhubani, Darbhanga and Muzaffarpur. The inclement weather conditions affected north Bihar districts on Friday and Saturday.Video clips showing farmers weeping at the sight of their flattened maize and wheat fields went viral from Saturday and continued to circulate on Sunday. On Saturday, JD(U) minister Leshi Singh, after seeing such video clips from her assembly constituency Dhamdaha, contacted agriculture minister Yadav and requested him to extend assistance to the affected farmers.
