Karnal, Sept. 16 -- At least 4.97 lakh farmers from 6,310 villages in Haryana have registered crop damage for over 29 lakh acres of land on the e-Kshatipurti portal, as of 7pm on Monday. September 15 was the last date to register the damage on the portal, following heavy monsoon rains in most parts of Haryana. The registrations were made following damage to crops like paddy, maize, sugarcane, and cotton across all 23 districts of the state. The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) will compensate farmers with insured crops, while uninsured farmers can claim damages through the portal. Chief minister Nayab Singh Saini had earlier opened the portal on August 21 for farmers in seven districts, later extending it to all districts until September 15 from September 10. Despite the registration process, many farmers expressed dissatisfaction. Sanju Gudiana, president of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Charuni) in Yamunanagar, claimed that many farmers were unable to register on the portal due to technical issues, including frequent portal crashes and persistent waterlogging. He further argued that the registration date should have been extended to accommodate more farmers. This crop damage registration comes on top of previous losses caused by the southern rice black-streaked dwarf virus (SRBSDV) affecting non-basmati paddy crops. The damage was most severe in Yamunanagar, with 518 villages reporting losses, while Hisar topped the list in registered areas with 4.48 lakh acres. Meanwhile, Jaswinder Saini, deputy director of agriculture, Ambala, confirmed reduced yields of paddy this season. Farmers are now reporting yields of 20-22 quintals per acre, down from the previous year's average of 34 quintals, he said. In Pundrak village, a 40-year-old farmer Manish Kumar and his brother Satish Kumar destroyed their five-acre paddy crop due to heavy losses from rain, waterlogging, and suspected viral damage. Despite applying insecticides and waiting for recovery, the crops showed no improvement, with the grains turning black and the plants remaining stunted. Kumar said that he was unsure who he'll pay back Rs.3 lakh that he borrowed....