Waterlogging damages paddy stocks in Fazilka, Ambala as farmers blame poor drainage

Heavy rainfall has caused severe waterlogging in grain markets in Punjab and Haryana, damaging vast amounts of stored paddy. Photos from the scene show rows of grain sacks submerged in rainwater, causing outrage among the local farmers. In Fazilka, the grain market was overwhelmed by recent rains, drowning large quantities of harvested grain.

Farmers at the market pointed to inadequate drainage infrastructure as the main culprit for the destruction. Naresh Kumar, a farmer affected by the flooding, expressed his frustration with the recurring issue. He lamented the lack of outlet for water to recede, leading to significant damage to his crops. Many of the waterlogged sacks belonged to him, and he warned that continued rain would exacerbate the situation.

Kumar mourned the loss of six months of hard work, emphasizing that the outcome was a total waste. He described the current state as all lost. Similar scenes were witnessed in Ambala, Haryana, where rainwater flooded the local grain market, submerging piles of paddy sacks. Farmers in the region blamed official negligence and the absence of proper drainage and storage safety measures for the damage.

The weather outlook for the region remains bleak. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast predicts continued rainfall and thunderstorms in Ambala until October 15, accompanied by lightning and strong surface winds. A yellow alert has been issued, indicating that the adverse weather conditions will persist, posing a further threat to the already saturated paddy stocks.

Fazilka is also expected to experience cloudy skies with the possibility of light rain or thunderstorms in the coming days, hindering farmers' efforts to dry their produce and mitigate the ongoing crop damage.