Hailstorm damages wheat crop spread over 700 acre in Ambala

 Manish Sirhindi 

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Tribune News Service 

Ambala, March 8 

Wheat crop spread over 700 acres was flattened as strong winds accompanied by hailstorm lashed the state today.

Durala, Kesri, Langer Chani, Bitha and Doba villages near Saha; Mehmodpur, and some parts of Samabalka and Duhkeri villages; and villages in the Nagal belt on the Ambala-Hisar road were the worst affected.

Durala village has been facing the problem of waterlogging for several years and every time it rains, water accumulates in fields, causing damage to crops.

“The village lacks drainage system. A few years ago, the previous government had got a bridge constructed on the Sambhalka-Durala road to drain out rainwater. It never served the purpose because of its faulty construction,” Durala sarpanch Avtar Singh said.

He said that two days ago, villagers had met Deputy Commissioner (DC) MS Brar and submitted a complaint regarding waterlogging.

Mahinder Pal, one of the villagers, said more than 150 acres of cultivated land was inundated. “Villagers had planned to bring the matter to the notice of Health Minister Anil Vij, but his ‘janata darbar’ scheduled for this week has been canceled,” he said.

Farmers in Bitha village claimed that more than 150 acres was inundated. Kesri villagers have been facing the same problem for several years. They said the DC had recently visited their village and taken up the matter to a dug up a drain to divert seasonal waters to the Markanda river.