Crops ruined due to heavy rains in Punjab

In Punjab, heavy rainfall has led to the destruction of crops, causing significant losses to thousands of farmers who have been struggling with the monsoon's fury after grappling with intense rainfall throughout May and June. Reports of crop damage due to overflowing water, i.e., excessive water filling the fields, and heavy rainfall are emerging from various parts of the state, including Amritsar, Ropar, Patiala, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Firozpur, and Mohali. Although paddy crops can withstand this impact for a longer duration, the excessive water in the fields has severely affected not only vegetables but also cotton crops in various locations.

Crop conditions have been severely affected in the Shahkot area of Jalandhar district. Farmers are fearful of the dire situation as the district administration has ordered the evacuation of 50 "flood-prone" villages. The highly vulnerable Sutlej Dhussi bund, which spans 85 kilometers from Dera Baba Nanak to Phillaur, with over 100 villages on both sides, is a major cause for concern.

In Giddarbaha and Shahkot, rice crops have been devastated by the rains. In Giddarbaha, 20 to 25 villages, along with several areas in the Shahkot-Nakodar belt, have already lost their rice crops. Farmers and their crops are also at risk along the banks of the Ghaggar River, primarily in the Patiala district, and along the banks of the Sutlej River, mainly in Jalandhar, Ropar, and Tarn Taran districts. Both rivers are flowing above the danger mark. The situation is not better in the Mohali district, where the state government has sought assistance from the military.

The Tarn Taran district has been heavily affected by the impact on crops. Continuous rainfall has led to the submergence of a significant number of villages in the Ropar district, especially in the Anandpur Sahib, Chamkaur Sahib, and Morinda areas. Anticipating an increase in water levels above the danger mark in the seasonal river, the Patiala administration issued evacuation orders for residents of Vadha Arrih Majara, situated near the major river, on Sunday.