Jammu, Nov 15: Former Chief Minister and President Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Ms Mehbooba Mufti on Monday lambasted the callous attitude of the administration towards farmers who have suffered massive losses caused due to recent adverse weather conditions.

“I am told that the government has assured peanuts to the farmers of RS Pura, Bishnah, Samba and other plains of Jammu as compensation, where farmers have suffered extensive damage to their standing crops”, Ms Mufti told media persons on the sidelines of series of party interaction programmes in RS Pura and Bishnah areas of Jammu today.

She said that the sudden change in weather has damaged the crop of farmers and brought them to the verge of starvation, “but government, I am told, has fixed Rs 600 compensation per kanal, which is disgraceful and disdainful for this hard working class of society”.

The PDP Chief said rice cultivators of border belts of Jammu and apple and dry fruits in Kashmir contribute a major portion towards the economy of J&K and in both the regions, the losses suffered by the farmers run in crores. But it seems that the administration, instead of assessing the damage on ground, has fixed the compensation sitting behind the four walls of their offices.

“The party ruling the country has adopted a hostile attitude towards the farmers across the country and it seems Jammu & Kashmir is no different. While they claim to provide free ration to 80 crore population of the country, they seem to miss the point that the one producing this food is the farmer of this country who has been at the receiving end of the ant-farmer policies of this government,” she said.

Recalling how Mufti sahib had deep affection for the people living in the border areas, she said that they are the worst hit due to the hostility between India & Pakistan.

“While friendly relations between the two countries are paramount for sustainable peace and development of the whole subcontinent, our people living along the border areas deserve the incentives of such peace the most,” she added. (KNS