Shillong, June 24: Farmers in West Khasi Hills region have been badly affected due to the recent unprecedented heavy rainfall in the state, said PHE Minister and chairman of the regional committee Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar on Thursday. He said paddy fields and roads have been washed away, and the department is currently preparing the estimate for restoration of the roads and compensation to the farmers.

As per preliminary assessment, he said the state government would require not less than Rs 10 crore to pay compensation to the hundreds of farmers affected by the flash floods due to overflowing of rivers to their paddy fields and agricultural lands. “As far as restoration of roads is concerned, the government may have to spend at least Rs 15 to Rs 20 crore for each district,” he said.

“I have seen with my own eyes and it really pains me to see that the farmers are badly affected by this natural calamity,” said Tongkhar, who recently conducted an inspection of the affected areas of the region.

He informed that many paddy fields have been washed away due to flash floods adding “this is really hurting me (to say that) the farmers will not see the reaping season this year.”

Tongkhar also said that road connectivity and houses were also damaged by heavy rain.

He requested the headmen of the different villages to help the farmers and the people to report to the respective DCs and BDOs for assessing the damage so that the government can accordingly compensate through the different funding that are there.

Tongkhar had visited Nongstoin, West Khasi Hills (WKH), South West Khasi Hills (SWKH) and Eastern West Khasi Hills (EWKH) and said roads have been affected to a great extent.

“A road at Rngisawlia in the Mawthadraishan constituency of Brolding Nongsiej and other 2-3 roads in South West Khasi Hills have collapsed and had totally disconnected the communication between villages. Ngunraw village has also been disconnected due to this problem,” he said.