Chandigarh, September 8
Untimely rain in Punjab has damaged crops, particularly in Malwa and Majha regions. The worst affected were cotton crop in Malwa and paddy crop in areas close to river Ravi in Gurdaspur and Amritsar districts.

Cotton and guar crops were submerged in a few villages near Abohar where rain water was diverted today. “Crops were flooded in villages near Fazilka also. Even orchards have been hit,” said BJP minister Surjit Kumar Jayani. The surging river inundated crops near Ajnala and Muktsar. Though water has started receding in the river, damage has been caused to crops, which remain submerged by floodwater.

“State government officials’ visits to the flood-affected areas last year have proved to be futile,” said a farmer from Muktsar, where 40 villages have been affected.