Applying for Compensation

Applying for compensation is usually looked upon as a complicated waste of time. Not without reason. Last year, several members from our Club applied for compensation when we had untimely rains that damaged the cashew crop. We never heard back from the various departments concerned.

Sample Letter of Complaint and Form 1 & 14

This year also we have applied for compensation due to untimely/heavy rains, which damaged our crops twice this year. The first time it happened in the last week of September and then recently Cyclone Phyan (on the 14-15 of November) ruined our harvested crops. Several farmers were affected at each instance.

For the September incident, several farmers submitted forms individually and are still to hear form the government departments.

For the November incident, 22 farmers got together and decided to use the Farmers Club as a platform to push the departments to act swiftly.

A standard letter was designed, leaving space for each farmer to provide his/her details (see sample above) and attach respective Forms 1 & 14 and NOCs (as needed). Each farmer filled out two such letters and sent them out collectively, one each, to the Mamlatdar and to the Zonal Agricultural Officer (ZAO). The Club also wrote a covering letter requesting the Mamlatdar and the ZAO to look into this matter urgently, which concerned residents of our village.

We also provided prints of the photos documenting the damage and about 6-8 of us, along with a TERI representative met the Mamlatdar and requested him to urgently send the necessary officers for the inspections.

We will follow the process and report back on how long it took for us to actually get the promised compensation. Stay tuned.