Bad weather may hit agri across Punjab

Bathinda: The alert for inclement weather, with possibility of light to moderate rainfall with thunderstorm, lightning and strong winds in certain parts of Punjab and Haryana from March 17-20, has left farmers worried. Going by the meteorological department alert, the farmers are in a dilemma over irrigating various kharif crops, mainly wheat. It is said if strong winds blow and there are rains or you have irrigated the fields, then chances of crop flattening increase. Strong winds were reported from some areas in the state late Thursday night and on Friday morning, resulting in flattening of crops, though at a small scale. “Strong winds flattened the wheat crop in various villages where irrigation was done a couple of days ago. We are worried about the weather,” said Abjinder Sangha, a farmer from Guara village in Sangrur. Farmer Joginder Singh from Muktsar said crops flattened in some pockets and it was time for last waters, which we had prolonged in view of the prevailing hot weather.