Ambala, Feb 3 (IANS): Congress leader and former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Saturday sought an assessment of the damage caused to the crops and compensation on priority.

Addressing the Jan Aakrosh rally here, Hooda said the farmers have suffered huge losses due to hailstorm in districts like Panchkula, Yamunanagar, Ambala and Kurukshetra.

"The government should immediately conduct 'girdawari' (assess crop loss) and give full compensation to the farmers so that they can get some relief."

Despite the severe cold and inclement weather, a large number of people had been standing in fields since morning.

State party President Udai Bhan, MP Deepender Hooda also addressed the rally.

Bhupinder Hooda said those who talked about doubling the farmers' income by 2022, doubled the costs and expenses of the farmers.

"The rate of fertilizer has been increased and its weight reduced," he said.

At the same time, this government is playing with the future of the youth by becoming contractors and is giving temporary jobs on commission through Skill Corporation.

He said the governments of other countries are evacuating their people from the war zone Israel but the Haryana government is risking the lives of its youth and sending them to Israel.

Hooda said time has come to hold the coalition government of the state accountable.

He said when the Congress government is formed in Haryana, the party would deliver on the demand to rebuild the Dadupur Nalvi Canal, which was destroyed by this government, so that this area becomes prosperous and progresses.

Assuring to solve the problem of outstanding payment of sugarcane farmers, the Leader of Opposition said at the time of leaving the government in 2014, not a single penny was outstanding to the sugarcane farmers but today the payment of sugarcane farmers is outstanding.

"When our government comes, we will make full payment to the sugarcane farmers," he added.