"Entire Haryana is facing drought this year. There has hardly been any monsoon rain so far. We demand that government should declare the state as drought hit," INLD president Om Prakash Chautala said addressing a press conference here.
"Special Girdwari (revenue survey) should also be ordered to assess the damage caused to crops due to lack of rains. After that, affected farmers should be given a compensation of Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 per acre," Chautala said.
He said he has written to Governor Jagannath Pahadia, urging him to ask the government to take steps to declare the state as drought-hit.
The rainfall deficiency in Haryana is 71 per cent and its neighbouring state Punjab 67 per cent, according to weather office data up to July 27.
The INLD leader criticised the state government for the "grave" power situation in the state.
"From 2005, when Congress returned to power in Haryana, more than seven years have passed, but power situation has worsened by the day," he said.
He said the law and order situation had "worsened" in the state of which the Maruti Suzuki Manesar plant incident was "an example."
He expressed opposition to the move to set up a nuclear plant in Gorakhpur village in Fatehabad, claiming that three farmers had died during protests over the past two years resisting acquisition of their land, "but the Government is bent upon going ahead."
