As the unseasonal rain, strong winds and hailstorm over the past three days have caused extensive damage to the standing wheat crop across the Malwa region, comprising Muktsar, Fazilka, Mansa and Bathinda districts. Just a few days ahead of harvest, Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian on Wednesday visited some villages in Muktsar district to assess the situation and assured farmers that compensation would be provided based on reports prepared during the special girdawari.
“I am accompanied by the SDM and tehsildar and touring affected villages. The situation in some areas is grim, but farmers will be compensated as per the special girdawari report. The process will be completed in a short time,” Khuddian told The Tribune.
He, however, said that a consolidated estimate of losses across the region was yet to be compiled.
The adverse weather conditions are likely to persist, with the sky remaining overcast and forecasts indicating more rain in the coming days. Farmers expressed anxiety as the crop was nearing maturity and expectations of a good yield have been hit.
Meanwhile, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal urged the state government to expedite relief.
“Untimely rain, gusty winds and hailstorm have devastated crops in the Malwa region.”
“Farmers and farm labourers’ hard work has been wiped out just before harvest. I appeal to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to order a special girdawari and release compensation without delay,” he said.
According to Jagsir Singh, Chief Agriculture Officer, Muktsar, nearly 35,000 acres of wheat crop in the district have been affected, with losses ranging between 50 and 75 per cent. “The damage includes about 7,000 acres in Malout block, 500 acres in Gidderbaha block, 10,000 acres in Muktsar block and the remaining 17,500 acres in Lambi block,” he said.
Harbans Singh, Chief Agriculture Officer, Bathinda, claimed the damage in his district was limited to a few villages and was not widespread.
In Mansa district, strong winds uprooted trees and electricity poles, leading to road blockades and disruption in power supply at some places. Videos circulating on social media showed flattened wheat fields and heaps of hailstones, reflecting the scale of damage across parts of the region.
In Fazilka district, some farmers said that they were yet to recover from the crop losses sustained last year, and many have not even received compensation for their damaged produce till date.
