Mumbai, February 14: While the northern states of India enjoyed fresh snowfall and icy chills in the past few days, states like Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh have been severely affected with the recent unseasonal hailstorm and rainfall. The recent spell has impacted standing crops, bringing another major challenge for farmers in these three states.

The reason for the sudden change in weather condition is the western disturbance which later moved eastward. Crops like wheat, corn, onion, jowar (sorghum) and green gram have been severely affected in these states. As per reports, orange and banana plantations in Maharashtra too have suffered extensive damage.

Hill states like Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir witnessed snowfall on Monday due to the western disturbance, making it nothing less than a picturesque. Temperatures dropped drastically in Uttarakhand on Tuesday. Shimla and Manali continued to get more snowfall for the second day on Tuesday, while the lower slopes of Himachal Pradesh received heavy rain, bringing the temperature down by several degrees.

Farmers suffer as unseasonal hailstorm damage crops 

In Maharashtra:

The sudden rainfall along with hailstorm on Monday lashed parts of Yavatmal in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, damaging standing crops. Dhule, Nandurbar, Beed and Jalna districts too witnessed the untimely spell of rain and hailstorm. As per reports by PTI, the rainfall and hailstorm lasted for about 10 minutes, causing severe damage to the rabi crops.

Maharashtra Agriculture Minister Pandurang Fundkar on Tuesday said that wheat, green gram (chana), sweet sorghum (jowar) and onion are the rabi crops, and grapes, that have been damaged. He further informed that banana plantations and vegetables were destroyed in Jalgaon district. As per the preliminary estimate of the state government, Fundkar said crops on 1.24 lakh hectare area spread across 11 districts of Maharashtra have been affected by Sunday’s hailstorm. He had said that the hailstorm-affected areas are likely to increase as the field survey is going on.

As per reports, a 70-year-old farmer died in Jalna district after he was injured in the hailstorm. Besides, two women were injured in the hailstorm in Washim and Aurangabad districts."The farmer was going to his farm early this morning when he was caught in the heavy spell of hailstorm. He sustained severe injuries and died," Jalna district collector Shivajirao Jondhale said. The district administration had alerted farmers about the possibility of unseasonal rainfall and hailstorm and asked them to keep their grains and agri-produce at safe places.

In Madhya Pradesh:

Hailstorm in Madhya Pradesh hit almost 400 villages and damaged the standing wheat, chana and mustard crop. Farmlands were covered with a thick sheet of white after the storm and snowfall. The state government is assessing the impact of the hailstorm, which many said was among the severest in the last few years. According to the State government, districts that suffered large-scale damage to its wheat and pulses crops include Sehore, Raisen, Bhopal and Dewas.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan while addressing the farmers’ convention here on Monday said that the loss of crops in hailstorm will be compensated.  “Incentive amount of 200 rupees per quintal will be given in addition to the support price on wheat and paddy in this scheme. Incentive payment plan will continue. Recently, the loss of crops affected by the hailstorm will be compensated by adding relief and crop insurance,” Chouhan said.

The irrigation capacity in Madhya Pradesh has been increased from 7.5 lakh hectare to four lakh hectare. “In the next five years, one lakh crore rupees will be spent on enhancing irrigation facility,” the Chief Minister said.

In Uttar Pradesh:

After the sudden weather change in Uttar Pradesh, crops in Uttar Pradesh have been severely affected. As per reports, farmers in the state have been demanding compensation. The farmers held a protest demanding compensation for the standing crops of wheat and oilseeds which were damaged in heavy rains and hailstorm.

Meanwhile on Sunday, rain and thundershowers lashed places over Punjab, East Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha and Chhattisgarh, besides many places over Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi and West Uttar Pradesh. It rained at a few places over East Uttar Pradesh and West Madhya Pradesh as well, damaging crops.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 14, 2018 05:28 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).