LUCKNOW: Six lives were lost due to a lightning strike as the weather took a turn resulting in a thunderstorm accompanied by heavy rains, strong winds with hail storm at certain places across UP on Thursday. Though people got some relief from sweltering heat wave like conditions, farmers suffered losses due to damage to standing and harvested crops in the fields. As per the IMD sources, such weather conditions are likely to continue for next three days in the state.The skies were shrouded with dark clouds since Thursday morning in state capital Lucknow, Kanpur, Gorakhpur, NCR along with 25 cities across the state. The districts of the Terai region, including Bahraich, Pilibhit and Lakhimpur Kheri had a hailstorm followed by heavy rains destroying the standing crop of wheat and mango.Officials at the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that the weather took the turn after the Westerly winds from the Arabian Sea and easterly from the Bay of Bengal collided.While the actual assessment of the loss and damage to crops would take time, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered a quick survey of the damage to the crops and asked officials to conduct field visits for the same.The CM issued orders for all District Magistrates, SDMs, and Tehsildars to visit the affected areas immediately and carry out a detailed survey so that the compensation against the damages can be disbursed directly to the farmers’ accounts within 24 hours. He warned the district administrations against negligence and laxity.Following the survey, compensation for crop losses will be provided by the Revenue Department in collaboration with insurance companies. Additionally, the Relief Commissioner Bhanu Chandra Goswami issued an alert due to the ongoing bad weather urging people to step out of their homes only when absolutely necessary.Moreover, the Relief Commissioner asked the DMs, SDMs and Tehsildars, to upload the field survey reports over damage to the crops on the department’s portal as soon as possible.It is important to note that compensation will only be provided to farmers whose crops suffered more than 33 percent damage due to floods, hailstorms, and unseasonal rains.Meanwhile, the mango growers of Lucknow’s mango belt, Malihabad and adjoining Barabanki sounded concerned for the crop as thunderstorms caused the immature fruit to fall, leading to some losses. However, the rain, mango growers said, would certainly help the fruit increase its size and sweetness.Malihabad produces Dussehri, Langda, Lucknauva Safeda, and Chausa. Dussehri is the earliest ripening variety, followed by Langda, Lucknauva Safeda, and Chausa. At this stage, fruit has formed for every variety, but in different sizes.Since the thrust and speed of wind in Malihabad on Thursday were not very high, the windfall was not expected to be severe.
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