MARH: Department of Agriculture has pressed into service its monitoring teams to make an on the spot assessment of damages caused to vegetables, paddy, maize, pulses and fodder crops by the recent flash floods and heavy rains in different districts of Jammu Division. In this connection, farmers of Kukrian, Kothey Manhasan, Haripur, Chak Jaggar, Thub, Mahaveer Basti, Kothey Puran, Ghou Manhasan, Sandawan, Bhagatpur, Suhagani, Chakrali, Nai Basti, Marh, Kana Chak, Kayanpur, Panjore and adjoining areas of Marh Sub-Division had detailed interaction with Director of Agriculture, Jammu, Dr S.S Jamwal and visiting team of officers to the damage affected areas.
In Suhagani Panchyat and adjoining areas it was revealed that about 500 acres of cultivated area has been affected due to breach of protection bunds and flooding water of Tawi River. Some of the area has been completely eroded and washed away on which paddy and other Kharif crops were grown. The land has been converted into riverbed and silt, sand and stones have deposited on a large cultivated area. The nurseries of the vegetables particularly of hybrids and cauliflower sown by the farmers have also been completely destroyed due to heavy and continuous rains. The early sown radish, knol-khol and other vegetable crops have been damaged in Nai Basti, Marh, Gajansoo Kana Chak and Panjore areas.
Many pumpsets, pumpset sheds, cattle sheds have also been damaged and washed away due to flooding waters. It was observed that the irrigation channels and Khuls have also been damaged at several locations. The Director after visiting the affected areas at Kothey Manhasan, Nai basti, Kana Chak and Panjore gave on spot instructions to the field staff to identify the damaged patches with detailed documentation of the crop-wise and area-wise damage reports.
Parkash Singh, Janak Singh and other farmers of Kukerian area told the visiting team that there has been tremendous loss to the farmers of the area who need immediate relief and help. At Kanachak Deewan Singh, Sarpanch, Kanachak Panchayat, Sh Rakesh Kumar, Sat Paul, Romesh Singh, Ramji with many other farmers apprised the visiting team about the losses in vegetable and other Rabi crops. Onkar Singh Choudhary, Chief Agriculture Officer, Jammu, K. K. Gupta, SDAO, Marh and other officers of the district accompanied the Director Agriculture for assessment of damage.