Farmers Worried as Rain, Wind Damage Crops in Haryana and Punjab

Officials said that high-velocity wind and rain have damaged the standing crops in several parts of Haryana and Punjab in the last 24 hours. The two states have been lashed by strong winds and rain since Thursday (5^th March 2020).

Sarabjit Singh, a farmer from Punjab said, “Our wheat crop, usually harvested in mid-April, has been flattened by strong winds and rain. With the weather department predicting more rain in the coming days, the extent of damage can be huge”.

Another farmer, Gurpreet Singh from Fatehgarh Sahib district said the government must immediately order a special ‘girdawri’ (revenue survey to assess losses) & extend compensation to cultivators for their crop losses.

Punjab expects the arrival of around 180 lakh tonnes of wheat in agricultural markets this season. Out of this,  government agencies are expected to procure 130 lakh tonnes.

A Haryana government official said that “The chief minister has already ordered ‘girdawri’ after the recent showers. The fresh damage to the crop would also be covered”.

As per reports, crops in Hisar, Kaithal, Bhiwani, and Karnal have been badly damaged.

Balbir Singh, Secretary of Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Samiti said that there are reports of damage to over 80 percent of mustard crop in some places in Haryana. He has asked for a compensation of Rs. 50,000 /acre to the affected farmers.

Officials of the meteorological department said that rain along with strong winds can affect the region till 8^th March 2020.

The maximum as well as minimum temperatures dropped at most places by 2-4 degrees Celsius after rain.

Chandigarh and its neighboring areas have been lashed by moderate rainfall and strong winds in the past 12 hours.