Karnal :
Fearing a huge loss due to the incessant rain in the past few days, around 6,000 farmers of the district have approached the Agriculture Department to seek compensation under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY).

Around 32,000 farmers have opted for the government’s crop insurance scheme PMFBY. Of them, around 6,000 have approached the department for compensation, said Aditya Dabas, Deputy Director, Agriculture (DDA).

Farmers cultivate paddy crop on around 1.65 lakh hectare in the district, out of which around 50,000 hectare is covered under the PMFBY, he added.

The bulk of the farmers claiming the loss are from Assandh block as around 40 per cent of the total farmers applied for claim, followed by Nilokheri, Indri, Gharaunda and Karnal blocks.

Due to heavy rainfall and releasing of water from Hathnikund Barrage in Yamunanagar, farmers living along the banks of Yamuna River have faced major losses. Sources in the department claimed several affected farmers did not have insurance cover but were demanding compensation. However, the government had ordered for special girdawari for the losses due to rainfall.

“I have applied for the claim and the department will assess the loss. I have also requested the authorities not to delay the reimbursement as that can lead to additional woes for us,” a farmer from the district said.

One of the officials said the revenue officials had been asked to assess the loss due to rainfall.