Chandigarh: Sugarcane output is likely to be affected due to the heavy rainfall in the state that has forced the opening of floodgates of dams leading to the fields being inundated, according to Tribune India.
The release of thousands of cubic feet per second of water from both the Pong and Bhakra dams has led to the inundation of fields in Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala, Ropar, and Sangrur, affecting crops in nearly 130 villages. Officials from the state Agriculture Department have stated that the extent of crop damage will only be determined after a period of two to three days.
“If the water recedes within a day, the damage will be minimal. However, if the crops remain submerged, especially high-value crops like basmati rice and sugarcane in this region, the damage could be significant,” explained Gurvinder Singh, the Director of Agriculture. He noted that assessment of crop damage will commence once the water levels begin to decline.
Reports indicate that the crops in 52 villages of Gurdaspur, 36 villages of Kapurthala, 22 villages of Ropar, 13 villages of Sangrur, and seven villages of Hoshiarpur, where basmati rice and sugarcane are cultivated, have been adversely affected.
