Fresh hailstorm and rain lashed the Malwa region on Saturday, leaving farmers in Fazilka and Moga districts worried. Already facing extensive losses, they are now apprehensive of further damage to the standing crops.According to the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) forecast, more rain is likely on April 6 and 7.The development comes as standing crops of wheat, mustard and green fodder in 44 villages of Fazilka have already been damaged due to western disturbances over the past few days. A hailstorm on March 31 accompanied by strong winds had flattened harvest-ready crops, with the district being among the worst-affected.Fazilka Chief Agriculture Officer Harpreet Pal Kaur said crops across 16,085 hectares (39,747 acres) in the 44 villages suffered damage ranging from 20 to 80 per cent as per reports. She added that the exact loss would be assessed once weather conditions improve.Bhartiya Kisan Union (Kadian) president Nishan Singh after touring the affected areas in Islamwala, Kamalwala and Katehra, alleged that no action had been taken to conduct girdawari. “The standing wheat crop has been damaged,” he said, demanding relief of Rs 50,000 per acre for the loss.Rain was also witnessed in Bathinda and Abohar. Wazidpur Kattainwali and Chanan Khera villages were among the worst-affected. Additional Deputy Commissioner Mandeep Kaur said a special girdawari was initiated following directions from Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann during his visit to Fazilka on April 2.Sukhbir seeks Rs 50k per acre relief for farmersNabha: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal Rs 50,000 per acre relief for wheat crop damaged by the recent hailstorm in the Malwa region. Addressing a rally, he said “Farmers are in distress and have not received compensation for damage caused to their paddy crop in the devastating floods last year. Now, they are again appealing for compensation for widespread damage to standing wheat crop in Bathinda, Mansa, Fazilka and Muktsar Sahib districts.”— TNS