Hailstorm victims seek support

SWABI: The farmers, whose crops were affected by the recent hailstorm, on Thursday asked the provincial government to declare the district as calamity-hit.Talking to reporters, the representatives of the farmers said the hailstorm damaged the crops, especially tobacco crop and wheat in the district.They said that it was the responsibility of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to support the affected growers.
Liaqat Yousufzai, general secretary of Kashtkar Coordination Council, said that they had planned to meet the elected representatives and brief them about the plight of the poverty-stricken farmers after the hailstorms. “We expect that the government will extend us financial help,” he remarked.
Alam Sher Gohati, district president of Anjuman-i-Kashtkaran Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, said there was dire need of a survey by the provincial government about the damage caused by the hailstorm. “The elected representatives should extend financial help to the growers,” he said.Khalid Khan, district president of Kisan Board, said that farmers needed financial help. “The elected representatives must play a role to facilitate the affected farmers,” he said.