Farmers, labourers bear the brunt of cold wave, fog in Tarn Taran

Thick fog engulfed the district from early morning until afternoon, leading not only to a drop in daytime temperature but also disrupting normal life.

According to information from the Meteorological Department, winds are predicted to blow from the northeast. These weather conditions are expected to intensify the winter chill.

Most labourers who arrived for construction work in Tarn Taran failed to get employment on Monday. Bikkar Singh of Bugha village said they are returning home without any daily work, resulting in no earnings.

In villages along the banks of the Beas river, the fog was even denser, increasing difficulties for residents of the Mand area, particularly farmers.

Master Dalbir Singh, Pargat Singh and other residents of Chamba Kalan village said there were problems bringing green fodder for animals, as the fog did not clear for several hours. They added that fog begins to settle soon after noon, shortening the available working hours.

Dr Kuldeep Singh Chug from Tarn Taran town said that during the winter season, children and elderly people frequently suffer from chest and respiratory problems, cough, cold and sore throat. He advised them to stay indoors and keep themselves warm.

He added that due to extreme cold, patients also face difficulties in reaching doctors, making it important to take precautions to prevent winter-related illnesses. Meanwhile, most shopkeepers in the city were seen keeping warm by lighting fires.

A farmer from Sabra village, Shingara Singh, said that floods in villages near the river had already caused a shortage of dry fodder, and continuous fog had now led to a lack of green fodder as well.

Davinder Sohal of Chabal said that reports of accidents were coming in from various places due to poor visibility. He also pointed out that street lights on the national highway from Amritsar to Harike have been out of order for several years.

Satendra Singh, manager of the Usman toll plaza, said that the National Highways Authority of India has awarded a contract to repair the damaged street lights from Amritsar to Makhu, which are expected to become functional soon.