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Heavy rainfall accompanied by hailstorms and strong winds have wreaked havoc on farmers in several districts of Haryana, including Rohtak, Sonepat, Bhiwani, Charkhi Dadri, Hisar, and parts of Jind. The untimely weather conditions have flattened and damaged crops such as wheat, barley, mustard, and gram, leaving farmers devastated.

Crop loss and farmer distress

Farmers had high hopes for a bumper harvest, but their dreams were shattered when the weather suddenly changed, leading to heavy rainfall and hailstorms. Prakshit Nandal, a farmer from Bohar village in Rohtak, lamented the damage caused to his wheat crop by the hailstorm. Similarly, Ravinder, a farmer from Rohat village in Sonepat, expressed distress over the significant damage to his wheat and mustard crops. The unexpected rainfall has not only damaged the crops but also affected the quality of wheat, posing further challenges for the farmers.

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Lilu Ram, another affected farmer from Sulkhani village in Hisar, shared his concerns about the destruction of his mustard crop, which was nearly ready for harvesting. He emphasized the need for compensation from the government to mitigate the losses suffered by farmers. The compensation, according to him, should amount to ₹60,000 per acre to address the financial repercussions of the damaged crops.

Government response and support for farmers

In response to the crisis, Haryana's Agriculture Minister JP Dalal announced the initiation of girdawari to assess the extent of crop loss in the affected districts. He assured farmers of the government's support during this challenging time, emphasizing that compensation would be provided based on the assessments conducted by revenue officials. Dalal directed deputy commissioners to gather reports from agricultural and revenue officials to determine the extent of crop damage and ensure timely compensation for affected farmers.

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Amidst the agricultural turmoil, tragedy struck in Kurukshetra, where lightning claimed the lives of a woman and her son. Saroj Bala, aged 50, and her son Raman Saini, aged 29, both residents of Khirki village, lost their lives due to the lightning strike, highlighting the additional risks posed by adverse weather conditions.