On the one hand, the state government is organising various melas and fairs to promote traditional farming, on the other it has failed to provide compensation to farmers of Uttarkashi district who lost their crops due to unseasonal rain a few months ago. The farmers are running from pillar to post to get the compensation for the rabi crops that were damaged due to hailstorm and untimely rain in March-April 2015. The district administration paid compensation to some farming families but around 46,770 farmers are left to be given a relief so far and are running from one office to another to receive the amount they should have got months ago. The state government had appointed several government officials in the district for surveying the damage incurred to the agriculture fields and make provisions for the financial compensation. Following the survey, around Rs 4.17 crore were given to the district administration for crop damage relief to be disbursed to around 18,412 families. But around 18,133 families are yet to receive compensation relief amount and awaiting it. Former MLA Gopal Rawat said the state government was talking about giving a mere Rs 1,500 per family for the crop damage, which was unjust. Social activist Lokendar Bisht said the affected families should be given the compensation without delay. Chief Minister Harish Rawat had appealed to the farmers to grow koda, jhangora etc but the farmers were not being paid compensation for the damaged crops in the district. The government was just paying lip service to curb migration but doing nothing to improve the condition of farmers, he said. Bisht demanded adequate compensation and insurance cover for farmers. Senior Congress leaders said compensation had been given to most of the farmers and the process was on to disburse the remaining amount among the people left. Source - http://www.tribuneindia.com