Cold wave grips Punjab, Haryana; rain forecast around weekend
BRACE FOR MORE Cold to intensify between Dec 19 and 22 with moderate rain, thundershower forecast in Haryana
CHANDIGARH: Cold wave conditions with pockets of fog prevailed in the plains of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh on Tuesday.
Residents of Haryana got a little relief from the cold after the sun appeared around Tuesday noon. The day temperature in the state hovered between 12 and 14 degrees Celsius.hisar saw a low of 8.4 degrees, Sirsa 7.3, Rohtak 8.8 and Bhiwani 8.7 degrees Celsius. The meteorological department at Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University said the cold wave will intensify between December 19 and 22 with moderate rain and thundershower forecast in the state.
“With rain, the minimum temperature may drop sharply but it will benefit farmers. Commuters will face a tough time as it will turn foggy,” said ML Khichar, the head of department, meteorology and agriculture.
MINIMUM TEMPERATURE MAY DROP SHARPLY BUT WILL BENEFIT FARMERS; COMMUTERS TO FACE TOUGH TIME DUE TO FOG
PUNJAB BRACES FOR FOG
Punjab is set to witness dense fog amid an intensified cold wave over the next two days.
According to Raj Kumar Pal of the agro-meteorology centre of Punjab Agricultural University’s regional research centre in Bathinda, the maximum temperature is expected to be 14 degrees Celsius, while the minimum will dip to six degrees Celsius.
There will be a short window of sunshine. Amritsar was equally cold at 7 degrees Celsius, while the maximum temperature recorded was 14 degrees Celsius.
FARMERS SEEK RELIEF
Farmers of wheat, mustard and barley sought compensation for the damage caused to the crops due to the hailstorm last week. Congress leader Kiran Chaudhary visited fields to check the condition of their crop and also urged the government to conduct a special girdawari (assessment).
A farmer Sheo Naryana of Surpura Kalan village of Bhiwani said, “Rain is good for the farmers as the need of watering the fields reduces, but hailstorm destroys standing crop and damages roots of the crop that we just sowed. We have asked the administration to send agriculture department officials to assess the damage so that compensation can be announced.”