MPs concerned at farmers hit by hailstorm

New Delhi, Mar 14 (UNI) Members in the Lok Sabha today voiced their concern at the loss being caused to the standing crops due to untimely rains and hailstorm in the entire northern India, and pleaded for assistance to the farmers affected by the natural calamity.

Raising the issue during zero hour, Mr Chandramani Tripathi (BJP) said the hailstorm and rains had caused widespread damage to the crops in Rewa in Madhya Pradesh. Earlier the farmers were badly hit by the drought conditions.

Other MPs cutting across party lines associated with Mr Tripathi to express concern at the loss to the standing crops due to inclement weather. and demanded assistance to farmers.

Speaker Somnath Chatterjee assured the members that the government would look into the matter.

Bomb blast : Mr V Radhakrishnan (CPI-M) raised the issue of bomb blast in Kuwait recently in which, he said, a Keralite had been killed and many others were injured. He wanted the government and the External Affairs Ministry to take serious note of the incident and ensure the safety of thousands of Keralites working in West Asia and other countries as contract labourers.

BALCO Ash : Mrs Karuna Shukla (BJP)drew the attention of the House to the health hazard posed by the ash discharged from the 540 MW power plant of BALCO in Korba district of Chhattisgarh. She called for construction of a dam for gathering the ash at one place to prevent it from being mixed in the drinking water. The uncollected ash would not only cause damage to the crops but also affect adversly the health of the villagers near Korba, she said.

UNI