Rains lash many places in Punjab, Haryana; farmers worried

Chandigarh: Rains lashed many places in Punjab and Haryana, including Chandigarh today, increasing the woes of farmers who fear damage to wheat crop.

According to the MeT office here, rains lashed Amritsar, Kharar, Muktsar, Kapurthala, Sangrur, Adampur, Pathankot, Talwandi Sabo, Anandpur Sahib, Dhuri, Faridkot and Nangal in Punjab.

In Haryana, Dabwali, Kurukshetra, Pehowa, Bhiwani, Kaithal, Jhajjar, Karnal and Panchkula were among other places to be lashed by rains.

Chandigarh too received a heavy downpour in the morning today.

The rains have increased worries of wheat farmers as heavy showers are harmful for ripening wheat crop.

"We are praying to God that it should not rain during these days. If rains are accompanied by strong winds, then they can inflict heavy damage to the ripening crop," Dilawar Singh, a Patiala based farmer said.

The rains, which are unusual during this time of the year for Punjab and Haryana, were caused by the western disturbances, a MeT official said here.

He said that a fresh western disturbance as an upper air cyclonic circulation now lies over north Pakistan and neighbourhood.

Another upper air cyclonic circulation also lies over Haryana adjoining western Uttar Pradesh, which is likely to bring more showers in the region over the next two days, he said.