Rains lash Punjab and Haryana, may hurt crops

Chandigarh, Mar 18. Haryana and Punjab received heavy rainfall last night, mounting worries for farmers as the crops nears harvesting stage. Chandigarh measured heavy rains (19.6 mm), the MeT Department here said. In Haryana, Ambala received 7.6 mm of rain, Hisar received 2.8 mm of showers while Karnal gauged 4.6 mm of rain. Bhiwani (1.4 mm), Panchkula (3 mm), Kalka (5 mm), Kurukshetra (6 mm) and Yamunanagar were also lashed by rains. In Punjab, heavy rains lashed Amritsar at 18 mm. Ludhiana (6 mm), Patiala (9.4 mm) and Pathankot received 8 mm of rain. Showers were also reported from Ropar, Mohali and Phagwara. A MeT official said Western disturbance was the main reason behind the showers. Another weather system - an induced upper air cyclonic circulation which lay over Central Pakistan and adjoining West Rajasthan - had also caused change in the weather in the plains of Punjab and Haryana, he said. A week back, unusual widespread rains accompanied by strong winds had flattened wheat crop at many places in the two states. The current spell of rains is not good for the crops which are at harvesting stage, agriculture experts have said.