Rohtak/Rewari/Bathinda: Unseasonal rain, hailstorm and strong winds lashed several parts of Punjab and Haryana on Tuesday, flattening standing wheat crop just days before the harvest, and triggering widespread concern among farmers already counting the losses.The worst impact was reported from southern and western Haryana and parts of Punjab’s Malwa belt, where hail and high-velocity winds damaged ripening wheat and mustard crops.In Charkhi Dadri district, Palri, Kori Rupa, Kadma, Naurangabas and Badhra village witnessed intense rainfall and hail, raising fears of heavy losses to mustard and wheat crops.Hailstorm activity was also reported from Hisar, Rewari, Bhiwani and Mahendragarh districts, while moderate rain was recorded in Gurgaon, Faridabad and Nuh.In Rohtak, strong winds and rain flattened the wheat crop in several villages, leaving farmers anxious over yield and quality loss.“We were expecting a good harvest this time, but the rain and winds have ruined everything,” said Manjeet Kumar from Karontha village in Rohtak district.In Punjab, hailstorm was reported from villages in Muktsar and Fazilka districts, including Kattianwali, Bodiwala Kharak Singh, Astala, Lakhewali, Gandhar, Alamwala, Arniwala, Fallukhera and Balluana.Farmers said big-sized hailstones and strong winds hit a time when the wheat crop was nearly ready for harvest. “This happened at the worst possible time. The crop was expected to be ready for harvesting in a week, but now both quality and yield are likely to suffer,” said Baljit Singh, a farmer from Bodiwala village in Muktsar.In Haryana’s Rewari, farmers reported severe damage to both wheat and mustard. Ranbir Yadav, a farmer from Bihari Pur village, said hail and rain had inundated fields and caused heavy losses. Others from Rasuli and Kosli claimed large portions of their standing crop had been destroyed.Farmer groups, including representatives of the Bharatiya Kisan Union, demanded immediate compensation of at least Rs 60,000 per acre for affected cultivators.The adverse weather also briefly interrupted chief minister Nayab Singh Saini’s rally in Tosham in Bhiwani, though the event continued.Rewari deputy commissioner Abhishek Meena, meanwhile, said teams had been deployed to assess crop damage in the affected areas.He said patwaris and other officials concerned would conduct field surveys and submit reports to the govt for necessary relief measures.Manish Nagpal, DC, Charkhi Dadri, also confirmed that reports of hailstorm had emerged from parts of the Badhra constituency, and said assessment teams had been constituted.The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said isolated to scattered rain, thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds of 30-50 kmph were reported across Punjab and Haryana, and warned that the spell might not be over yet.A fresh western disturbance is likely to affect northwest India from April 2, with more rain, thunderstorms and gusty winds expected over Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh on April 3 and 4, raising fears of further crop damage.
