Unseasonal rain, hailstorm damage Rabi crop in central and west Madhya Pradesh

BHOPAL:  Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has ordered a survey into the damage caused to the standing Rabi crops, due to unseasonal rain and hailstorm in many parts of Madhya Pradesh’s central and western regions on Monday evening and night.

“There is information of hailstorm and rain in some parts of the state. But the farmers need not worry as I’m with them. Detailed survey of damage to crops by hailstorm and unseasonal rain will be conducted soon,” Chouhan said on Tuesday.

A few hours later he said, “I’ve talked with the administrative machinery in all districts and the work on conducting survey of crops damage has started on the ground.” Unseasonal rains and hailstorm was reported in many parts of the state on Monday evening and night, including capital Bhopal and adjoining districts of central MP, besides Guna district in Gwalior-Chambal region. Hailstorm was also reported in districts of Malwa’s Ujjain region. 

According to informed sources, major damage to standing Rabi crops, including wheat, gram and pulses has been reported particularly in Narmadapuram, Rajgarh and Vidisha districts of central MP that neighbour state capital Bhopal. Significant damage to standing crop has also been reported from Barwani, Dhar, Mandsaur and Ratlam districts of west and south west MP.

Fortunately, however, the standing wheat crop in Sagar and Sehore (two districts with major wheat cultivation) wasn’t damaged significantly. Meanwhile, first-time Congress MLA Kunal Chaudhary has demanded that the farmers whose standing crop has been badly damaged by heavy rain, hailstorm and high velocity winds on Monday evening and night should be compensated by the state government at Rs 40,000 per hectare.