Farmers in the state are already reeling from crop damage due to back-to-back western disturbances, and they’re bracing for another spell of adverse weather. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange warning for April 7-8, forecasting rain, thunderstorms, lightning, hailstorms, and strong winds reaching speeds of up to 60 km per hour.The upcoming disturbance follows two earlier systems on March 30-31 and April 3-4, which caused significant crop damage in Punjab. According to preliminary estimates by the agriculture department, nearly 1.5 lakh acres of wheat fields were affected, mainly in Muktsar, Bathinda, Fazilka, Mansa, and Ferozepur districts. Fazilka was the worst hit, with 39,747 acres damaged, followed by Muktsar with 35,220 acres.The fresh warning has heightened concerns among farmers already reeling from losses. IMD has cautioned that the new disturbance could further impact standing wheat crops, disrupt transport, and lead to power outages. Residents have been advised to remain indoors during thunderstorms, while farmers have been urged to take protective measures for their harvest.Despite April typically marking the onset of hot weather, IMD clarified that no heatwave conditions are expected during this period, with cooler and wetter conditions likely to dominate.Meanwhile, farmer unions under the banner of the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) staged protests across the state, demanding compensation of Rs 50,000 per acre for crops destroyed by rain and hailstorms. They also pressed for smooth procurement of wheat in markets and resolution of issues faced by arhtiyas (commission agents).“The coming days are expected to be crucial for farmers. Already grappling with huge economic losses — with many facing debt — due to last year’s floods that destroyed the paddy crop, farmers have lost their wheat and maize crops in many places in the state due to successive western disturbances since March, dampening hopes of a bumper wheat harvest. We demand that the government intervene and offer much-needed monetary support to mitigate the crisis,” said Prem Singh Bhangu, president of All-India Kisan Federation.