Floods deepen farm crisis in Haryana

Torrential rains have triggered a flood-like situation across several Haryana districts, with Hisar among the worst hit. Farmers here have been dealt a devastating double blow — losing the standing kharif crop and facing bleak prospects for sowing the rabi crop as fields remain submerged.

Many cultivators, who had long argued farming was no longer remunerative but stuck to it due to ancestral legacy and lack of alternatives, say this calamity has left them with no option but to depend on government relief. “The present flood situation has come as a huge setback, forcing many to rethink whether to continue in an occupation that is becoming increasingly unproductive,” said one farmer.

According to Haryana Agricultural University’s Department of Agricultural Economics, farmers earned only Rs 42,496 per acre from dwarf paddy and Rs 52,488 from basmati in kharif 2023. Returns on bajra and cotton were worse, at Rs 14,064 and Rs 15,661 per acre respectively — barely enough to sustain families.

A woman farmer in flood-hit Shahpur village said her 16-acre crop was wiped out. “The land was taken on lease and cotton, bajra and paddy were sown after paying Rs 4 lakh as rent and spending another Rs 4 lakh on inputs, all of it borrowed on interest. But now it is zero. We have lost our sleep. I don’t know how to handle this crisis. We are completely dependent on compensation if the government provides it,” she said.

In Arya Nagar, a family confined to its dhani with cattle as floodwaters entered their home feared losing even shelter. “With crops already destroyed, we doubt if we will manage the next rabi season,” they said.

Experts warn the situation could worsen with the rising brackish water table between Delhi and Bathinda. “The brackish water table will affect land fertility, making the sowing of the next crop uncertain,” cautioned former HAU scientist Dr Ram Kanwar.

Opposition parties accused the government of failure. “Rs 715 crore had been approved for flood control works this year, but no timely action was taken. About 2,200 villages are under water, crops, homes and tubewells destroyed,” said former minister Prof Sampat Singh. He demanded Rs 50,000 per acre compensation and relief for damaged homes.

The government rejected charges of negligence. “Flood control meetings were held in January and April to review desilting of drains and channels. The state is in a better condition compared to neighbouring Punjab,” said CM’s media adviser Praveen Attrey, adding that farmers will be compensated.