Agricultural fields along Sutlej in Ludhiana submerged in water; farmers rue damage to crops

For farmers in Punjab, the weather is both a lifeline and a looming threat. One season brings the scorching heat that shrivels wheat grains; the next, relentless rainfall washes away entire crops.

Although Ludhiana was saved from the flood fury but those living around the Sutlej River had to bear the brunt.

According to the Agriculture Department, nearly 1,000 acres of land has been submerged in water, wiping out months of labour and investment.

In Maachiwara, farmer Harbhajan Singh stood ankle-deep in water, staring at his ruined field.

“We sow with hope, but nature has its own plans. My entire paddy crop is gone. I don’t know how I’ll repay the loan this year,” he said, his voice heavy with despair.

The situation is equally grim in Sidhwan Bet, where Gurpreet Kaur, a small-scale farmer, lamented, “We depend on this crop for our yearly income. The water came so fast, we couldn’t even save our tools. It’s not just the crop, it’s our livelihood.”

The damage is largely confined along the Sutlej River in the blocks of Sidhwan Bet, Maachiwara and Mangat.

Chief Agriculture Officer Gurdeep Singh confirmed that the damage is confined to fields located on the riverbed.

“The rest of the district is safe. The affected areas are low-lying and within the river’s natural flood zone,” he stated.

Experts from Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) have issued urgent advisories to minimize further damage. They recommend draining excess water using surface drains or pumping sets to prevent root suffocation. Farmers have also been advised to open bund ridges and clean farm channels to facilitate water movement.

For rice and basmati growers, PAU suggests foliar spray of 3 per cent urea solution to counter nitrogen deficiency, and 1.5 per cent potassium nitrate at the boot stage to reduce sterility. With the current weather favouring fungal infections, particularly false smut, farmers are urged to spray copper hydroxide (Kocide 46 DF) followed by Galileo Way fungicide after 10–15 days. Zinc deficiency should be treated with a 0.5 per cent or 0.3 per cent zinc sulphate spray, depending on formulation.

While the district administration continues to assess the full extent of the damage, the immediate concern remains the survival and recovery of affected farmers.

“With their fields submerged and future uncertain, many are hoping for swift government intervention and compensation to rebuild their lives. Once the situation normalises, we will visit affected farmers and offer support in the form of labour, manure, or seeds for the next crop. It is not only this crop that has been destroyed but also stored seed for the next crop in their houses,” Harinder Singh Lakhowal, President of Bhartiya Kissan Union (Lakhowal).