Agricultural losses in quake hit Uri run into crores
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27/07/2008
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Kashmir Times (Jammu)
Musavirr Wani
URI, July 27: Estimated loss to the agriculture land, crops, livestock, agriculture implements and other household items in quake affected Uri and Karnah was reported to be in crores of rupees. Loss to maize crop has been reported to be more followed by loss to the paddy crop.
Majority residents of Uri believe that the governments tall claims did not helped them much is their proper rehabilitation but it was just a blessing in disguise. "Almost three years have passed but we still can not manage the things properly, as it was few years before, residents of Uroosa and Uri town said.
Loss to agricultural land according to the study report, "The Jammu and Kashmir Earthquake: Damage and needs assessment report" prepared by Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, Action Aid India (NGO) and the University of Kashmir has been put at Rs 1,00,000 per kanal.
Eight crores was reported to be total estimated agricultural loss in these areas of which Uri accounted for about Rs. 2.8 crores and Karnah Rs 4.8 crores. The study, however, projected that before drawing any conclusion it should be borne in mind that damage caused due to the earthquake was not reported by many households.
Total reported cost of livestock was said to be more than Rs.2 crores based on estimate of households able to report the loss to their livestock.
Loss of agricultural land, crops and equipments as per the study was reported by about 3,200 households. Giving a breakup of the households, it mentioned that 1,318 households in Uri, 1,831 households in Karnah and 64 in Baramulla reported agriculture loss.
It also reported loss of food materials amounting to Rs 2 crores as put by many households in these areas. Stored food stuff such as rice, wheat, flour, and maize was also reported lost. Plough, hoe, spade and sickles included the agriculture equipments reported as lost. Cost of these equipments as depicted by the study varied from Rs 500 to Rs 2000.
Cattle and livestock that play an important role in ensuring livelihood in these areas too witnessed a huge loss. In earthquake affected districts, about 71.7 percent households reported to have owned cattle/livestock. The ownership of cattle/livestock, as per the report, varied from 76.9 percent in Karnah to 69.6 percent in Baramulla district whereas the Tehsil wise cattle/livestock ownership varied from 68.8 percent in Uri to 76.9 in Karnah.
Mostly, people in these areas owned cows. The ownership of cows varied from 44.2 percent in Uri to 51.6 percent in Karnah, according to the study report. For agricultural purposes, about 15.4 percent reported to own bulls/oxen, the percentage owning bulls varied from 11.7 percent in Uri to 21.7 percent in Karnah. Most of the households in Uri are reported to own goats and sheep. Hens, horse, cattle were the other animals owned by families and a combination of animals too were owned by number of families.
About 6,282 livestock were reported as lost due to the earthquake, by the study. In Uri, loss of livestock reported was 3,730 while in Karnah it was 2,454 livestock. Only 98 livestock were reported as lost in Baramulla.
About 1538 households reported the amount of livestock loss; many respondents listed livestock loss but did not mention the amount, the report added. About 1.2 percent has suffered a loss of more than Rs 1,00,000 due to the earthquake; about 72 percent of households reported their loss between Rs 5,000 to Rs. 1,00,000.
Most of the households lost their milch animals such as cows and buffaloes, the cost of which ranged from Rs 10,000 to Rs. 15,000 whereas cost of goat and sheep varied between Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,000. Total reported loss to livestock was more than Rs.2 crores based on estimate of households able to report the loss to their livestock.