JOIN USUnseasonal rain and hailstorm—incessant in some parts and intermittent in others—across North Indian states continued to claim lives, disrupt livelihood and damage crops on Monday.
A three-day spell of heavy rain and hailstorm in Rajasthan has claimed 25 lives, while massive damage has occurred to crops in 26 districts of the state.
According to initial reports, 90 per cent of the crops in the Udaipur, Kota and Jodhpur divisions have been damaged, while more than 50 per cent damage has been reported in as many as 3,500 villages across the state.
“All district collectors have been directed to send detailed report of the damage. We had announced compensation the last time. This time, too, we will take care of farmers. My officials, including the chief secretary, are already working in this regard, and once the actual damage is calculated, the government will compensate it,” said Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje.
Meanwhile, initial reports have said more than 5,000 houses have sustained heavy damage in Rajasthan, while 1,400 cattle have died. A farmer in the Bhilwara district reportedly died of heart attack after his crop was damaged.
The prices of vegetables have also shot up due to rain.
Meanwhile, moderate to heavy rains lashed many places in Punjab and Haryana too, increasing worries of farmers whose crops had already been damaged by heavy showers earlier this month.
The Haryana government has already said the wheat crop is likely to take a hit due to the recent spells of heavy rain and hailstorm.
Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said Rabi crops have suffered heavy losses. He had earlier said a team from the Centre would visit the state to assess the damage. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, too, has sought compensation from the Centre for farmers whose wheat crops have been damaged due to rain.
Uttar Pradesh
Widespread rains and hailstorm hit Uttar Pradesh over the past few days as well, causing large-scale destruction of standing crops.
The damage triggering apprehensions among officials that wheat production could be adversely affected in the state.
According to reports, standing wheat, potato and other crops had been severely damaged owing to rain and hailstorm in many parts of the state, including the agriculturally rich western region.