Hens, cocks killed in hailstorm to get compensation in M'rashtra

In an unusual gesture, the administration of hailstorm-affected Jalna district ordered post-mortem of poultry birds for payment of government compensation.

This came to light when former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, Leader of Opposition in Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil and Deputy Chairman of Council Manikrao Thakre toured the district, which was the worst hit in the hailstorm from Sunday-Tuesday.

A Congress delegation met District Collector Shivaji Jondhale seeking an explanation. "What has happened is a natural calamity. We can understand post-mortem of big animals (cattle)...but we are surprised that they have asked for post mortem of poultry (hens and cocks)," Vikhe-Patil said on Thursday.

Nearly two lakh hectares of farm land, spread across 1,200 villages in 16 districts, have been affected by the hailstorm in Marathwada and Vidarbha regions.

Farmers will receive compensation ranging from Rs 6,800 a hectare to Rs 18,000 a hectare depending upon the type of farmland and crop cultivated, from the National Disaster Response Fund.

The natural calamity has so far claimed four lives, besides many small animals, birds and fowl.