Fields inundated, Sidhwan Bet most affected in Ludhiana district

Tribune News Service

Manav Mander

Ludhiana, April 3

Being lashed by continuous rain since last night, fields in Ludhiana district have become inundated. The Agriculture Department has advised farmers to prepare proper channels to drain out excess water from the fields.

According to Punjab Agricultural University’s Department of Climate Change and Agricultural Meteorology, Ludhiana district received 13 mm rainfall and the weather is expected to remain cloudy over Ludhiana and its adjoining areas.

Nature changing its course

Due to the incessant rain, hailstorms and high-velocity winds, my entire crop has been flattened and now there is little possibility of getting rates for this moisture-laden crop. Nature is changing its course which is proving very dangerous. —Succha Singh, A farmer

The Sidhwan Bet area has been most affected, where fields are now water-logged. Chief Agriculture Officer of Ludhiana district Dr Narinder Singh Benipal said he went to villages in the Sidhwan Bet area where fields have stagnant water. “Farmers are being advised to prepare proper channels to drain out excess water from the fields,” he said.

“Farmers of this area are worst affected. At many places cases grains of standing wheat crop have started sprouting. It is called sprout-damaged wheat. The actual area where water is stagnant in the fields and crop destroyed is being assessed by the Agriculture Department along with the Revenue Department,” he said.

Farmer Succha Singh from Malakpur village said his wheat crop had been flattened. “Due to the incessant rain, hailstorms and high-velocity winds, my entire crop has been flattened and now there is little possibility of getting rates for this moisture-laden crop. Nature is changing its course which is proving very dangerous for the farmers,” he said.

Another farmer, Jagtar Singh from Kot Umra in the Sidhwan Bet area said water had entered his fields and in addition to this, sprouted wheat grains have proved to be a double whammy for him. “Sprouted grains will not fetch good price and it will also produce lower quality flour. I was looking forward to this year’s produce, but seems the God had some other plans,” he rued.

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