...but relief for farmers

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, June 18

The pre-monsoon showers that lashed the region on Monday night brought in the much-needed relief for the farming community as it is seen as beneficial for both cotton and paddy crops.

Agriculture experts feel that the rainfall will immensely benefit the paddy crop which is being transplanted across the region.

They also believe that it has come as a relief for the cotton farmers too, as their crop was facing a threat due to the prevalent hot weather. They said it would also ease the pressure on the PSPCL in terms of power demand from the agricultural sector.

Besides, it will also save a lot of money for the farmers which they would have ended up shelling out on diesel to run their motors.

However, gusty winds that accompanied rain on Monday night also uprooted trees in rural areas. The dust storm that preceded the rainfall also led to disruption of power supply in the rural belt.

BKU Ekta (Ugrahan) leader Shangara Singh Mann said, “Rainfall is good for all crops except for grapes, though the latter is sown in limited areas of the region. It can also prove fatal for the cotton crop in low-lying areas as inundation of cotton field for long wreaks havoc on the crop.”