High-velocity winds, rain lodge wheat crop, farmers worried

FLATTENED No need to panic, ample time for crop to recover, say experts

SANGRUR/BATHINDA/GURDASPUR

High-velocity winds and rain damaged standing crops in parts of Punjab in the past 24 hours, officials said here on Friday.

Wheat crop, which is harvested in mid-April, has been flattened in many areas of the state. Farmers are worried as the meteorological department has predicted more rains in the coming days. The state government is expecting arrival of 180 lakh tonnes of wheat in grain markets this season.

Gurdaspur received 30.2mm of rainfall followed by Bathinda 27.5mm, Faridkot 19.4mm, Pathankot 17mm, Amritsar 16.2mm and Patiala 5mm on Friday.

Wheat and other crops have been damaged in more than 20 villages of the Lehragaga block in Sangrur. The government should immediately order a special ‘girdawri’ (revenue survey to assess losses) and give compensation to farmers for their crop losses, said Gobinder Singh, block president BKU Ugrahan.

Sangrur chief agriculture officer Jaswinderpal Singh said crops in some parts of the district have been damaged due to heavy rain. He said the assessment of crop damage will be done soon. “The majority of the area is under wheat crop in Lehragaga block, but other crops have also been damaged,” he said.

Director of agro-meteorological centre of regional research station, Punjab Agricultural University, at Bathinda Paramjit Singh said rain was good for the wheat crop at this point to time as it has lowered the temperature. He, however, said strong winds led to lodging of wheat crop. “But there is no need to panic as there is ample time for the crop to recover,” he added.

State agriculture information officer Gurtej Singh said lodging of wheat has been witnessed in some parts in early sown crop. “Due to cotton cultivation in the district, wheat on major portion here is sown late so it hasn’t been damaged,” he said.

Gurdaspur chief agriculture officer Raminder Singh too said rains are beneficial to the wheat crop sown in the rain-fed areas, including Dinanagar and Jandi Chauntra. “However, it is not good for crop grown on the land having moisture as the wheat grains lose colour and yield will be low.

Punjab agriculture director Sutantar Kumar said rains at this stage would not cause any damage to standing wheat crop but downpour should not accompany high-velocity winds. “If the rains are not accompanied by high-velocity winds, there is no need to worry,” said Kumar.

RAIN TILL SUNDAY

Meteorological department officials said that rain and strong winds could affect the region till Sunday.

Following rain, the maximum and minimum temperatures dipped at most places by two to four degrees Celsius.

AAP DEMANDS FULL COMPENSATION

Chandigarh :Leader of opposition Harpal Singh Cheema on Friday demanded special ‘girdawri’ of the standing crops flattened by the untimely rain and hailstorm during the past two days.

In a letter to chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh, he sought 100% compensation for the farmers whose crops were damaged . “Untimely rains and hailstorm have wreaked havoc on the farmers in Dirba, Lehragaga and other parts of the state,” he said.