crop damage reporting

In a shocking turn of events, East Champaran recently faced a powerful thunderstorm accompanied by fierce gales, wreaking havoc across the region. Hundreds of homes suffered significant damage, while over 400 fruit trees, including mango and litchi, were uprooted. The Patahi and Fenhara blocks were hit hardest, leaving standing crops in a state of despair.

Unseasonal rain, hailstorms and heatwaves during April-May adversely impacted fruit crops across the country. From Bihar to Maharashtra, TOI visits orchards to assess the extent of damage and its economic cost

Haryana is emerging as an ozone hotspot, with 12 out of 30 monitoring stations exceeding national standards in May. Nathu Colony in Ballabhgarh recorded the seventh-highest ground-level ozone concentration in India. This secondary pollutant, formed by sunlight-driven reactions, poses a growing summer air quality challenge.