Karnal/Ambala/Hisar, April 19

With harvesting of rabi crops underway, a western disturbance triggered thunderstorms, rain and hail in several parts of Haryana and Punjab this evening.

Reports of light rain and thunderstorms were received from Karnal, Ambala, Jind, Kaithal, Kurukshetra and adjoining areas. The rain and hail caused damage to ready-to-harvest wheat crop and also to stocks of wheat lying in the open at grain markets, especially in Karnal, Ambala and Jind districts.

In Karnal, rain and hail, accompanied by gusty winds, wreaked havoc on the wheat crop lying at the grain market and in fields of Indri block, leaving farmers in distress.

"We had invested our time and resources in growing the crop, but nature's fury has destroyed it," said Ram Singh, a farmer. Jagbir Singh, another farmer, said farmers were already facing challenges due to various factors, including rising input costs.

The government should announce compensation for the losses they had suffered, he said.

Nikhil Kumar, an arhtiya at the Indri grain market, said farmers faced losses due to the rain and hailstorm.

Parmod Kumar, another arhtiya, said the sudden and unexpected heavy hailstorm and rain had caused significant damage to crops in the Indri area. The standing crop, which was ready for harvesting, had flattened while stock lying in the grain market had got damaged after getting soaked.

At Pillu khera and adjoining villages in Jind district, the storm resulted in uprooting of electricity poles and trees. Farmers also complained about crop damage in some villages.

Jind Deputy Commissioner M Imran Raza held a meeting today and directed officials to ensure that the grain lying in the open in markets was covered with tarpaulin in case of rain.

In Ambala, the untimely rain and hailstorm left wheat farmers worried in the district. Thousands of wheat bags are lying in the open at the grain markets, which got soaked. Deputy Director (Agriculture) Jasvinder Saini said, "About 50 per cent harvesting has been completed and rain and hailstorm at this point will damage the crop. It will also delay the harvesting."

DMEO (Ambala) Rajiv Chaudhary said, "There was no loss to the wheat stock in any grain market."