Unseasonal rains trigger panic of crop damage in Punjab, Haryana

Chandigarh, March 21 (IANS) Moderate to heavy unseasonal rains continued to lash several places in Punjab and Haryana in the past two days, triggering fear among farmers about damage to the wheat crop.

Amid reports that high-velocity winds and heavy rains, accompanied by hailstorm, had caused damage to standing crops in some parts of the state, the Punjab government had on Tuesday ordered a special 'girdawari' for crop loss assessment.

The wheat crop is harvested in mid-April. Damage to the crops was also reported from few parts of neighbouring Haryana.

A spokesperson for the Punjab Chief Minister's Office said that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has directed the Financial Commissioner (Revenue) to issue detailed instructions to the Deputy Commissioners to immediately carry out 'girdawari' in the areas lashed by rains to ascertain damage caused to crops on the priority.

Adequate compensation as per government's norms will be given to the affected farmers, Mann said.

The Chief Minister assured the farmers that the government is committed to safeguard their interests against nature's fury. He said that every effort will be made to compensate them for the losses suffered due to the current spell of recent rains in the state.

The rainfall is likely to lead to higher moisture content in the wheat grains which could lead to lower remuneration to farmers due to the quality of the grain.

"The crop was ready for harvest in seven to 10 days. The downpour at this point in time will mean a loss to farmers after putting in so much effort in the last 4-5 months," farmer Swaran Singh of Samrala district in Punjab told IANS.

Reports of wheat crop damage was also reported in Haryana's Ambala, Karnal, Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra, and Panipat districts.