E-Paper
Rain, hail in U.P. play havoc with crops; injury cases reported
Hundreds of farmers reached the office of the district magistrate with bags full of hail and sought a survey to assess the damage
Unseasonal rains accompanied by a hailstorm damaged crops in several villages in the Lalitpur district of Bundelkhand on Friday. At least 10 people were injured in the hailstorm which lasted for around 30 minutes. Five of these had to be hospitalised.
Worried about the damage done to the crops, hundreds of farmers reached the office of the district magistrate with bags full of hail and sought a survey to assess the damage.
District magistrate Alok Singh has instructed the lekhpals and sub divisional magistrates to immediately begin the survey. According to a statement of district administration, the survey reports would come in the shortest time and the state government would be written to for financial assistance to affected farmers.
The weather changed for the worse around 3 pm in Lalitpur where rains were followed by heavy hailstorm causing extensive damage to the crops. Villages in Lalitpur and Talbehat tehsils were badly affected. In Durajanpura village of Lalitpur tehsil, 10 people were injured and five of them were hospitalised.
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav tweeted seeking adequate compensation for the farmers.
Meanwhile, isolated rain in Deoria and Kushinagar district damaged standing crops of mustard and wheat on Friday. Rain started falling in the wee hours and continued for two hours damaging the ready-for harvesting crops.
District authorities confirmed that Bariyarpur, Salempur in Deoria and Bishunpur and Ahirauli of Kushinagar district were largely affected due to moderate rain. Similar moderate rain was reported from Sidharth Nagar district that caused a loss to farmers.
Kushinagar district officials said at least three labourers at a brick kiln sustained burn injuries due to lightning. They are out of danger and undergoing treatment at the district hospital.
