Farmers have warned that they will launch an organized protest, citing the reluctance to pay even after submitting a claim for damage to their apples.
What you should know
Jumla farmers have not received their apple insurance payments for two fiscal years. They are angry that their claims for the damage caused by the disaster have not been paid even after two fiscal years of apple insurance.
Apple farmers in Tatopani Rural Municipality of Jumla have organized and launched a protest demanding insurance money. Shikhar Insurance Company Limited Jumla has not been able to pay the amount of damage due to apple insurance in the fiscal year 2080/081 and fiscal year 2081/082.
The farmers have warned that they will launch an organized protest, saying that the company has been reluctant to pay the amount even after submitting a claim for damage to apples. Apple farmers have gathered and formed a 17-member initiative committee under the coordination of Padam Bahadur Dangi.
The committee is preparing to hold an institutional dialogue, saying that the damage caused by drought was not included in the assessment of apple damage and that a low rate has been set. Coordinator Dangi informed that in the first phase, details of apple farmers in Tatopani who have insured apples will be collected, the damage assessed and then the Shikhar Insurance Company will be held to discuss.
The committee includes two representatives from each ward. The initiative committee has also urged farmers who have insured their apples to get in touch. ‘Farmers insured their apples for security, saying that they could be damaged by natural disasters,’ said coordinator Dangi. ‘When they claimed that the damage was caused by hail and drought, they were reluctant to pay. Now there was no option but to organize and launch a protest.’
Earlier, farmers had also locked the Shikhar Insurance Company Limited. Ward Chairman of Tatopani-4 Amar Bahadur Rokaya said that they have heard complaints that Shikhar Insurance Company discriminated against farmers from other local levels except Chandannath Municipality while assessing the damage. He also warned farmers not to let their hopes be dashed.
