BHOPAL : Even before farmers had recovered from shock caused by extensive damage to their crops due to rain and thunder showers earlier this month, a large number of villages in Bhopal district were once again hit by rain and hail on Thursday afternoon.

Latest INSAT images on Thursday showed that there was heavy cloud formation over the entire State and it was being projected that large parts of the State were likely to receive rain and thunder showers in the next 24 hours.

According to information received here, standing crops were damaged in a large number of villages in the southern part of Bhopal district on Thursday afternoon. On being contacted, the district Collector, Sanjay Shukla, told The Hindu that the worst-affected villages were Misrod, Bavariakalan, Salaiya, Bairagarh Chichli and Inayatpur. The district revenue officials had been rushed for a quick on- the- spot assessment of damage, he said.

While there was massive damage to crops due to hail in other parts of the State, the farmers in Bhopal district were affected more by excessive rain earlier this month. Extensive crop damage could be noticed during a visit to some villages in the Misrod area. According to official figures, 7,544 villages in 44 districts of the State are affected and the State-wide casualty figure due to thunder rain, lightning strikes and hail has risen to 83. The damaged crop area in the State is 26,2559 hectare and the number of damaged houses is 5,373.

After taking stock of the situation last week, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan has made extensive amendments to the existing provisions of the Revenue Books of Circulars (R.B.C.) 6 (4) and announced that the hail-hit farmers would get relief at enhanced rates. Earlier, relief of Rs. 1,000 per hectare was given for crop-loss ranging from 25 per cent to 50 per cent in case of farmers holding up to four hectares of un-irrigated agricultural land. The amount in such cases has now been increased to Rs. 1,500 per hectare. The State Government has also increased the relief amount provided in case of loss of other crops (trees In cases of mango, orange and lime trees the amount has been increased from Rs. 12,000 to Rs. 20,000.

As per the announcement of the Government, the relief in cases of damage to houses would also be given at enhanced rates. It has also doubled the amount of relief in case of death due to natural calamities.

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