Chandigarh, Dec 29 (IANS): Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Sunday demanded compensation from the government for the damage caused to standing wheat and other crops due to hailstorms in various parts of the state.

He said hailstorms have occurred in about 150 villages of many districts of Hisar, Palwal, Gurugram, Fatehabad, Bhiwani, Jind, Rohtak, Jhajjar, Kaithal and Sirsa in the past two days.

Due to this, standing crops of wheat, mustard and vegetables have suffered heavy losses. Sixty to eighty per cent damage has been seen in the mustard crop. Along with this, the crops of potato, cabbage, tomato and other vegetables have also suffered damage.

Hooda raised the demand for proper compensation to the farmers by getting its special ‘girdawari’ done. He said for the past several years, the BJP has entangled the farmers in the portal's web in the name of compensation. “The government should free the farmers from this mess so that they can get compensation directly. The pending compensation for the last several seasons should also be paid to them soon,” he said in a statement here.

The two-time Chief Minister said the government is constantly ignoring the problems and demands of the farmers. “Farmers are still agitating for the demand of MSP (minimum support price). The condition of farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who is on a fast unto death, remains worrying, but the BJP is not even ready to take cognizance of it nor is it talking to the agitators.”

“The government should resolve the demands of the farmers as soon as possible and end Dallewal's fast,” he added.

Meanwhile, a khap mahapanchayat, which was held in Hisar, has extended support to the ongoing farmers’ stir. The resolutions made at this gathering could influence the future of the protests, as various issues, including Jagjit Singh Dallewal's hunger strike, were discussed.

Farmer leaders had asked Haryana's khap panchayats to extend support for the fulfilment of their long-standing demands.