+ % 76 - # 8 # 8 8 .!%$#*/0 7&7&9 67,80. 2:*&*!0; <=2%= 30O9:9:4-26250 0=4505>=,=/ ! " # ""#$!#% %#%#% /=6-202 $62;25605)0(205 $>20-?$=456 #&#%%# !,!" -# 99 @0 2 0 1 2313456 03 0*234(0 52/623 Haryana, 25.01 lakh hectare are under wheat cultivation. he hailstorm and rainfall As per latest Agriculture Tthat lashed Punjab, Ministry’s data, sowing of win- Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, ter or rabi crops, an indicator Uttarakhand and Himachal of the pace of farm activities, is Pradesh on Tuesday may dam- down by nearly 5 per cent com- age the ongoing standing rabi pared to last year. A significant crops, including wheat culti- fall in sowing in Gujarat, vation. The national Capital Maharashtra, West Bengal and was also whipped by severe Rajasthan has affected wheat hailstorm and downpour since and other crops, bringing the early on Tuesday. overall area under rabi crops According to Agriculture down by nearly 5 per cent to Ministry officials, while the 588 lakh hectares. The total production of wheat and other area cultivated in the corre- rabi crops was expected to sponding week in 2017-18 was come down this year as the around 618 lakh hectare. sowing area has reduced as Rabi cultivation data compared to that of the last released by the Agriculture year, the hailstorm will further Ministry showed the area damage the rabi crops. under rice is about 21.5 per “However, it is too early to cent lower than the same peri- estimate the damage from hail- od last year due to a drop in storm. The State Government’s rice cultivation in Tamil Nadu Agriculture Department will and Andhra Pradesh. Despite assess the damage and inform favoured conditions for the the Ministry,” said officials. rabi crops, wheat cultivation, The India Meteorological on the other hand, reported a Department (IMD) has pre- Rain lashed the plains balls at one another. 2.5-per cent deficit as com- dicted widespread rainfall, hail- while higher reaches of Director of the Punjab pared to last year. As against an storm with gusty wind and Kashmir witnessed fresh snow- Agriculture Department Jasbir area of around 304 lakh hectare ! " # ! $ snowfall along with heavy rain- fall for the second day. The Singh Bains advised wheat sown in 2017-18, the area # % &%' fall over Jammu & Kashmir, snowfall and rain blocked the growers to not let rainwater under wheat cultivation is Himachal Pradesh and 300-km long Srinagar-Jammu stagnate in the field as it could around 296 lakh hectare, main- in 2017-18, the pulse has been Uttarakhand on Wednesday. national highway. The flight be harmful to the crop. ly because of drop in sowing in grown only in 95 lakh hectare ! %& The IMD said rain and operations at the airport here Naseeb Singh, a farmer drought-hit Maharashtra and so far. Coarse cereals, too, are thunderstorm will continue on were also affected. Four flights from Jind district, said rain at Gujarat, as well as West Bengal. faring badly, with an overall Wednesday in northern and were cancelled and 11 delayed this time will help in contain- There is nearly a 10 per drop in area of nearly northwest parts of the country due to poor visibility. The ing the fungal disease yellow cent drop in the sowing of 14 per cent. due to intense western distur- Himachal Pradesh capital and rust, but hailstorm will destroy gram, a major pulse crop of the The area under jowar cul- bance bearing down on North picturesque Manali and crop. Wheat is the main rabi season. This deficit has pulled tivation at 24.6 lakh hectare is West India and cyclonic circu- Dalhousie on Tuesday wit- crop in Punjab and is grown in down the overall pulses area by around 19 per cent lower than lation developed over nessed more snow that snapped over 35 lakh hectare area in the over 5.5 per cent. As compared the 30.27 lakh hectare last Afghanistan and Central road links, however tourists State, also known as the food to the 157.8-lakh hectare cov- year; maize is down by 9.5 per Pakistan. made merry by hurling snow- bowl of the country. In ered in the corresponding week cent to 14 lakh hectare. R *' +, ' 52/623 orrential rain washed away TSuspended Particulate Matter (SPMs) from Delhi air ./01 () and the air quality improved to year’s best on Wednesday. This was the first time in New Year when Delhi’s map was coloured “green” with satisfactory levels 52/623 Varanasi: Prime Minister environment. of Particulate Matters (PMs) on Narendra Modi on Tuesday Taking a swipe at the the National Ambient Air ith controversy erupting referred to former premier Congress over the issue of cor- Quality Index (NAAQI). Wover allegations made by Rajiv Gandhi’s remarks on cor- ruption, Modi said it got to Good news for Delhi and a self-proclaimed cyber expert ruption in the country to attack know about the disease, National Capital Region (NCR) who alleged Electronic Voting the Congress, saying the party acknowledged the disease, but is that the levels of PM 10 and Machines (EVMs) can be that ruled for years did noth- neither thought about it, nor PM 2.5 were recorded under & " ( $# hacked and the 2014 Lok Sabha ing to stop the “loot”, while his did anything in the direction of the permissible limit with val- % &%' polls were rigged, the Election Government put an end to it curing the ailment. ues 73 and 51 against 100 and Commission on Tuesday filed and transferred about “Many people here would 60 in microgram per cubic Forecasting And Research ture was recorded at 12.5 a complaint with the Delhi 5,80,000 crore directly to the have heard what a former respectively. (SAFAR), a unit of Ministry of degrees Celsius, five notches Police, asking it to register an people under various schemes. Prime Minister had said about As Indian Meteorological Earth Sciences (MOES), has above the normal,” the official FIR against him for his false Without naming Gandhi, corruption. He had said that Department’s (IMD) prediction forecast satisfactory for said. The humidity level was claims which, it said, can “cre- he alluded to the former Prime the money that the Central proved correct, the national Thursday, for Friday, air qual- recorded at 100 per cent at 8.30 ate fear” in voters’ minds. Minister’s remarks that only 15 Government sends, only 15 per Capital breathed easy after ity will turn moderate, this fur- am. According to the Central In its complaint to the paise of 1 reaches the masses cent of that reaches the people. hazardous pollution levels for ther means that air quality Pollution Control Board Deputy Commissioner of and said Congress If one rupee is send from the past few months gave way will remain “good” till Friday. (CPCB) data, the overall air Police (New Delhi District), the Governments over the years did Delhi, only 15 paise reaches the to the rainfall. According to SAFAR in air quality index (AQI) in the city poll panel asked police to inves- nothing to stop the “leakage”. villages, 85 paise disappear,” In its weekly weather fore- quality forecast, the concen- was 133, which falls in the tigate the matter “promptly” for Addressing NRIs and & $ ) & * Modi said, alluding to Gandhi’s cast, the Regional Weather tration of PM 10 will oscillate moderate category. violation of certain sections of Indian-origin people at the # + , - % &%' remarks. Forecast Department, New between 74 and 141 microgram It affected 15 trains which the Indian Penal Code dealing inauguration of the 15th “The party that ruled the Delhi (RWFC) has forecast per cubic while levels of PM 2.5 ran late with an average delay with spreading rumour to Pravasi Bharatiya Divas con- changed the perception that others. Chief Ministers of UP, country for so many years had generally cloudy sky with driz- will remain under the permis- of two to three hours. These alarm the public and other pro- vention in his parliamentary India cannot change, he said in Haryana and Uttarakhand — given the system to the coun- zle. The minimum temperature sible limit. included Howrah-New Delhi visions of related laws. Syed constituency of Varanasi in the presence of Mauritian Yogi Adityanath, Manohar L al try, a truth that was accepted by will remain at eight degrees According to IMD official, Poorva Express, Malda-Delhi Shuja had on Monday claimed Uttar Pradesh, Modi described Prime Minister Pravind Khattar and Trivendra Singh the then Prime Minister. Celsius while the maximum the Safdarjung observatory Junction Farakka Express and at an event in London that the the diaspora as India’s brand Jugnauth, External Affairs Rawat — attended the meet. But what is regrettable is temperature will fluctuate recorded 14.8 mm rainfall, Mumbai Amritsar Express. The EVMs can be tampered with ambassadors and said they Minister Sushma Swaraj, Modi said India’s contri- that later in its rule of 10-15 between 18 and 19 degrees Palam 22.8 mm rainfall, Lodhi Puri-New Delhi Purushottam and that the 2014 Lok Sabha were the symbols of the coun- Minister of State for External bution was being recognised at years, there was no effort made Celsius. Road 15 mm and Aya Nagar Express was late by six hours, elections were rigged. try’s capabilities. Affairs VK Singh and UP the international level, espe- to end this loot and leakage,” For air quality, System of recorded 26.1 mm rainfall. according to the Northern Detailed report on P5 The Government has Governor Ram Naik among cially its role with regard to Modi said.