A division bench of Calcutta High Court on Thursday modified its earlier order and directed the secretary of the state disaster management department to appear before court on October 12 and clarify why he did not carry out an order to file a report on distribution of compensation to farmers who faced loss because of Amphan that had ravaged the state on May 20.

The bench headed by Justice Sanjib Banerjee directed the secretary to inform why a large number of farmers were yet to receive compensation even after repeated representations.

On July 17, the South 24-Parganas unit of the All India Krishak Sabha, the CPM farmers’ wing, filed a case alleging that even after repeated appeals the state government was not paying adequate compensation to affected farmers.

Moving the petition, advocate Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharyya had claimed before the court that the members of the Krishak Sabha in South 24-Parganas, North 24-Parganas and a large part of Midnapore had suffered severe losses to agriculture and property under the impact of Amphan.

Bhattacharyya claimed the state had promised to pay adequate compensation to affected farmers which did not happen.

Two other cases on similar issues were pending for disposal before the court. The court directed the secretary disaster management to file a report on the petitioners’ contentions. But that order was not carried out. Three days ago the court directed the secretary to appear before it on October 9.

On Thursday, another petition on the same issue was moved by Mohsin Haque and other farmers of Baduria in North 24-Parganas. On hearing the petition, Justice Banerjee decided to hear all petitions together on October 12 and directed the secretary to be present in court.