Noida: Nearly 80% of their harvest-ready crop damaged in last week’s storm, mango growers from Dankaur, Bilaspur, Jewar, Rabupura and adjacent villages Wednesday sought compensation from UP govt.A delegation of farmers met DM Manish Kumar Verma and submitted a memorandum, addressed to the CM, urging immediate assessment and relief for affected farmers.As thunderstorms battered the district on Friday evening and again on Saturday afternoon, the fruits, which were weeks away from harvest, were knocked down prematurely. In many villages, several trees were uprooted. Praveen Bhartiya, a local farmers’ leader, said the storm was one of the worst in recent years, hitting just when the crop was ready to bring in much-needed income.For many farmers, the storm wiped out months of hard work. Mange Pradhan, a farmer from Bilaspur village, said his 20 beegha mango orchard was almost ready for harvest in June. “Over 80% of mangoes were destroyed in the storm. I have leased the land for Rs 3.5 lakh annually, and this harvest is one of my prime sources of income. I hope the govt can help us recover from this loss,” Pradhan said.The DM has promised a comprehensive survey and assured appropriate compensation measures. “We understand the gravity of the situation and will ensure that a damage assessment is conducted swiftly,” Verma told TOI.
