India, April 8 -- With the harvest festival of Baisakhi only five days away, wheat farmers in Sangrur and Barnala districts on Wednesday expressed concern as heavy rainfall triggered widespread crop lodging. Despite official assurances, many cultivators fear that government compensation will remain an empty promise.

Since Tuesday afternoon, Sangrur has recorded an average rainfall of 12.33mm, while Barnala saw a heavier downpour of 19.6mm. The storm flattened crops across several belts, including the fields of Dalbir Singh, a farmer from Duggan village who manages 15 acres. He said nearly 30% of his crop has already lodged and expressed a lack of confidence in state compensation, claiming that farmers have little expectation of receiving...