Weather god relents to help ease drought condition

Tourists and locals kept looking up towards the sky for snow in the main town. People also have come out with heavy woollens.

Earlier, the spectrum of drought had loom large over the hills of Himachal Pradesh and hit the tourism and agriculture sectors badly. But with winter showers in Shimla town and snow around its surrounding areas, has brought hopes to farmers and fruit-growers.

Director of Agriculture B D Goma told The Indian Express the wheat which had turned yellowish due to lack of moisture in the lower hills of the state, would now be salvaged.

“The department is collecting all kind of data, including damage to the Rabi crops,” he added.

Goma said the loss to Rabi crops which had occurred because of a prolonged dry spell, now be recouped very soon and added sowing of wheat in remaining 20 per cent rain-fed areas like Kangra, Hamirpur and Bilaspur areas would be an easy proposition. He said top-dressing of fertilisers now could be done without any damage to wheat and other Rabi crops.

The scientist feel while the fruit-growers got ample time for inter-culture but the delay in rain would also leave its impact on fruit crops. Because of the changed behaviour of weather, they fear rain and hail storm during critical flowering stage of apple.

“Due to delayed rain there is every likelihood of showers hail storm during April-May which may affect the apple crop,” feels Sandipni Bhardwaj, an apple-grower who happen to be from Kumarsein area of the apple-belt.

Director Tourism, Ashwani Kapoor said, “It is a welcome change” and the rain and snow would certainly boost the tourist traffic. He said, “The department is fully geared up to meet the rush of tourists after hopes of show”.

Giving details about the tourist traffic, he said, of late, the trend had changed and people were thronging Shimla on the week-ends.

Change in weather also brought hopes to the hoteliers.