Chandigarh: To assess crop loss caused by recent inclement weather, over 500 officials of the Punjab agriculture department have been pressed into service in affected areas of seven districts in the state. This was stated by agriculture minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian. Highlighting the extent of the damage, Khudian said preliminary reports suggested wheat crops across more than 1.25 lakh acres had been impacted by the recent rains and hailstorms.Khudian said the deployed workforce, including 145 Group A agriculture officers, were specifically monitoring the operations in the affected districts of Amritsar, Sri Muktsar Sahib, Fazilka, Bathinda, Mansa, Ferozepur and Moga. These teams have been strictly directed to work in close coordination with the revenue department to ensure smooth execution of the special girdawari (crop loss assessment).The move comes a day after chief minister Bhagwant Mann’s announcement regarding the special girdawari.“The govt is committed to safeguarding farmers’ interests and will compensate losses caused by natural calamities as per the prescribed norms. Every affected farmer gets their due after the final reports are submitted by the deputy commissioners,” said Khudian.The minister also visited the affected fields in Sri Muktsar Sahib district on Tuesday. He said the department was working on a “war footing” to complete the assessment accurately and transparently. He also directed the field officials to maintain constant contact with the farming community and provide technical guidance, where necessary, to salvage the remaining crop.On Monday, CM Mann had said special girdawari had been ordered to assess wheat crop damage due to recent weather, and compensation would be provided as per norms after receiving reports from the deputy commissioners. Mann had reaffirmed the state’s commitment to protecting farmers, asserting that the govt would provide compensation for wheat crop losses resulting from recent unseasonal rains and hailstorms.There have been reports of inclement weather flattening ready-to-harvest wheat crop across Punjab’s Malwa belt, with districts like Bathinda, Mansa and Muktsar reporting up to 80% crop damage in some villages.
