Chandigarh, April 20 : Former Haryana Chief Minister and the leader of the opposition in the state Assembly, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, on Saturday slammed the BJP government in the state for its 'negligence' in the procurement of wheat that led to its damage in rains that battered several parts of the state in the past 24 hours.

Blaming the state government for its 'negligence', Hooda said in a statement, 'Farmers have been waiting for their turn to sell the produce for many days. There was no arrangement for the lifting of grains in the markets. The reality of the government clearing the payment of the farmers after the procurement within 72 hours has once again been exposed.'

Hooda also said that despite the forecast of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) of rains, the government was found sleeping.

'Due to lack of lifting, the markets are filled with grains. Under compulsion, the farmers are forced to dump their wheat on roads,' he said.

'The crop lying under the open sky was washed away with rainwater. The BJP government is directly responsible for the loss caused to the farmers,' the Congress leader said.

He also reiterated his demand that the government should eliminate the hassle of the portal and make the lifting and payment soon so that the farmers can prepare for the next season. Also, the farmers who have suffered losses due to rain should be compensated by the government, he said.

Meanwhile, Chief Secretary T.V.S.N. Prasad has directed the Deputy Commissioners to promptly survey the crops damaged by hailstorms to ensure timely compensation.

Prasad stressed the need to expedite the lifting of stocks from the mandis, insisting that at least 50 per cent of the stocks be promptly transferred to the warehouses by Sunday evening.

He also directed the Deputy Commissioners to facilitate dialogues between the commission agents and the farmers, urging the farmers to refrain from bringing their crops to the procurement centres to clear space for wheat arrivals.

Consequently, there will be no purchase on Sunday.

Prasad also gave clear directions to the officers that the farmers should not face any problem in selling their crops, and payment for the crops should be ensured within the stipulated period under all circumstances.

/IANS