Winds, rain damage more crops in Punjab, Haryana

Chandigarh, March 30 (IANS) As if the fury of recent rains in February and earlier March was not enough, rainfall and high velocity winds have damaged more standing crops in various parts of Punjab and Haryana in the past 24 hours, officials said here on Monday.

Many parts of Punjab have been lashed by high velocity winds and sharp rain in the past over 24 hours.

"The standing wheat crop, which would have been harvested in mid-April, has been flattened by the rain and strong winds. The damaged crop cannot be retrieved. Also, the rainfall will lead to higher moisture content in the grains even where the crop is still standing," Balbir Singh, a farmer near Kharar town in Punjab, 30 km from here, told IANS.

At some places in Punjab and Haryana, trees were uprooted and branches fell off due to the strong winds.

Met officials said that the rain and strong winds could affect the region in the next 48 hours also.

"We had ordered girdawari (revenue assessment of crop damage) after the recent rains. That report is yet to be received and fresh damage has been done to crops. We will have to undertake the exercise again," a Haryana government official said here.

Following rain, the maximum temperature dipped at most places on Sunday by two to four degrees Celsius. Chandigarh and its surrounding areas were lashed by moderate to heavy rain in the past 12 hours accompanied by strong winds.