Rain plays havoc with maize
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

Jhullas-Salhotri (Poonch), June 16
Muhammad Aarif may not be able to send his two brothers and a sister to school this year and his 20 family members may have to skip their one day meal. Reason - the rain which lashed the frontier district last night has washed away the standing maize of a majority of farmers in Jhullas and Salhotri areas. The rain has not only damaged the maize crop in this farming belt, but has also caused severe damage to houses.

“It rained heavily last night. The flash flood caused total damage to our maize crop. We are destroyed and don't know what to do,” rued Muhammad Aarif, whose standing maize crop on 10 kanals was washed away in the flash flood.

“I was expecting a yield of about 200 kg, but rain played havoc and destroyed everything. Now we expect the government to come to our rescue and save us. If it does not help us, I will not be able to feed my family and would also not be able to send my children to the school,” he added.

The sordid tale of Muhammad Aarif is shared by Gian Chand of the adjoining Salhotri area. “It was around 9.30 pm when water started entering our house. Till the time we could evacuate our children to the adjoining Laxmi Narayan Mandir, a strong current of water swept the wheat seed stored by us for sowing. The wall was also broken by a strong current of water and 25 quintals of wheat were washed away,” Gian Chand said.

There has been extensive damage to maize in these areas of the district and there is not a single farmer whose crop has not suffered 90 per cent damage. Since it is sowing time for paddy, the water current has also deposited silt in the ploughed fields.

Not only did the water currents damage the standing crops in these areas, but it also has damaged houses in these areas located just close to the Line of Control (LoC).

The Poonch MLA who visited these areas to take stock of the situation said, “Untimely rainfall had caused severe damage to crops in Jhullas and Salhotri area, besides, it has also damaged some houses. I have already requested the district administration to assess the damage and compensate the victims.”

Meanwhile, senior officers of the district administration also visited the spot to take stock of the situation.