Anxiety grips Lohian farmers amid heavy rainfall

Panic and anxiety have gripped farmers in Lohian block of Shahkot subdivision, as heavy rainfall continues to batter parts of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab. With memories of the devastating 2023 floods still fresh, farmers fear a repeat of disaster, which submerged thousands of acres of crops and caused widespread devastation.

The floods of July 9, 2023, left several low-lying villages under water for days, causing irreparable damage to the kharif season’s paddy crop. Many marginal farmers were left in deep debt after the water stagnated in fields for over two months, leaving crops to wither and schools submerged.

As the monsoon season intensifies this year, farmers are filled with dread, knowing that even a slight disruption in rainfall can lead to catastrophic consequences. “Those were very difficult times for us,” recalls Sarabjeet Singh, a farmer from Gatta Mundi Kasu. “In 2023, the water remained in my fields for over two months. Now, I keep checking the news constantly, hoping there won’t be a repeat,” he says, anxiously watching the sky.

Farmers like those from Mundi Shehrian are voicing collective anxiety, with one noting, “We are already at a loss from the floods. Continuous rains are making us very scared. We can’t afford another disaster.” The situation is especially critical for small-scale farmers who depend on seasonal paddy crops for their livelihoods.

Kulwinder Singh from Mundi Cholian expressed concern, stating, “Right now, the situation seems under control, but nothing can be said about the weather these days. This month is crucial—if it continues to rain like this, it will become a problem.”

With the monsoon continuing its unpredictable course, farmers are turning to faith, praying for divine intervention to protect their crops. However, without proper flood-prevention infrastructure and timely action from local authorities, the fear of another disastrous season looms large.

As the days pass and July progresses, all eyes remain on the skies, while Lohian’s fields wait in anxious silence, hoping that history does not repeat itself.

Jalandhar