By Arun Pratap Singh
Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 25 Sep: The monsoon season this year has inflicted severe devastation across Uttarakhand, with losses and damage reported in almost every sector and department. The Public Works Department, Drinking Water Department, Electricity Department, Revenue Department and others were among the worst affected. In addition to infrastructure, horticultural crops also faced extensive destruction this year, aggravating the crisis for farmers across the state.
The Department of Horticulture and Food Processing has reported that crops over 12,549.52 hectares were severely impacted, out of which 5,054.65 hectares suffered more than 33 per cent loss, while crops on 7,494.87 hectares recorded less than 33 per cent damage. In all, 6,873 farmers have been reported to be directly affected. The overall losses in the horticulture sector have been estimated at Rs 53.22 crores. Apart from crop losses, departmental assets in various districts also sustained damages worth Rs 1.689 crores.
Agriculture and Horticulture Minister Ganesh Joshi today stated that a proper assessment of losses in agriculture and horticulture is underway and monitoring is being carried out daily. He said around 5,100 hectares of horticultural crops and nearly 3,800 hectares of agricultural land had been affected by the monsoon fury. He explained that as per the norms of the Government of India, compensation is provided in agriculture if more than 33 per cent of crops are lost, while in horticulture the compensation is being disbursed through insurance companies.
District-wise figures reflect the scale of devastation. In Dehradun, crops over 965.5 hectares were affected, impacting 2,150 farmers with estimated losses of Rs 179.90 lakh. Uttarkashi has emerged as the worst-hit district, with 7,507.69 hectares of crops damaged, causing losses worth Rs 47.46 crores and affecting 2,350 farmers. In Tehri, crops spread across 3,191 hectares were destroyed, impacting 85 farmers and leading to losses of Rs 163.08 lakhs. Nainital recorded damage in over 379.20 hectares, where 1,200 farmers were affected and the losses were assessed at Rs 21.84 lakhs. In Champawat, 119.40 hectares of crops were ruined, affecting 341 farmers and causing losses estimated at Rs 13.43 lakhs.
It may be recalled that, according to the State Disaster Management Department, the estimated economic damage during the monsoon amounts to nearly Rs 2,500 crore across various sectors. In response to the situation, the Uttarakhand government sought a relief package from the Centre, following which immediate financial assistance of Rs 1,200 crore was sanctioned by the Centre to help restore the damaged infrastructure.
