Paddy sacks submerged in Fazilka, Ambala

Heavy rains have caused severe waterlogging in grain markets in Punjab and Haryana, resulting in extensive damage to millions of quintals of stored paddy. Pictures from the affected areas show sacks of grain submerged in the rainwater, causing distress among local farmers. The grain market in Fazilka was completely submerged after the recent rains, with the farmers blaming the destruction on inadequate drainage infrastructure.

Local farmer Naresh Kumar expressed his frustration, stating that the water has no way to drain away, causing significant damage to his crops. He lamented the loss of six months of hard work, explaining that they had grown crops for six months and now everything is ruined. Kumar emphasized that the situation is widespread, with farmers experiencing losses due to the ongoing rains and flooding.

In Ambala, Haryana, farmers reported similar issues, alleging that the damage is a direct consequence of official negligence and the lack of adequate drainage and storage safety measures. While the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast predicts continued rainfall and thunderstorms in the region through October 15, with the IMD issuing a yellow alert for Ambala and a similar cloudy outlook with light rain or thunderstorms for Fazilka, these conditions are likely to further harm the already saturated paddy stocks and make it difficult for farmers to dry their produce and reduce the damage to their crops.