Ajmer, Jan 25 (IANS) The current cold wave is affecting not only people but also birds and crops in the desert state of Rajasthan.
At least 23 peacocks have so far been reported dead in a village in Ajmer district, some 160 km from state capital Jaipur.
“Three more peacocks were found dead in an agricultural field on Pabuthana village Thursday, taking the death toll to 23 in the past four days,” Ranglal Chaudhari, a resident, told IANS.
Forest department officials confirmed the deaths of peacocks.
“These peacocks were found to have been suffering from pneumonia. It can be because of the extreme cold conditions or a bacterial infection,” said a senior forest official.
The minimum temperature in Mount Abu, the only hill station of the state, has touched a minimum of minus 3 degrees Celsius, while it has been fluctuating between zero and 6 in various parts of the state for the past four days.
Farmers in some districts are worried about crop damage from ground frost. With lots of fog and no winter rain, the mustard crop is under serious threat across the state, which accounts for about 40 percent of India’s mustard production.
“The crop has been sown in an area of 2.3 million hectares this year, about 400,000 hectares less than last year,” a state agriculture department official said, adding that the department has started to undertake a survey of the damage to winter crops which according to trade estimates is as high as 15 percent.
“This cold wave has really affected our crops. Moreover, we cannot think of entering our fields before 10 a.m. and have to leave the fields early in the evening. Our mustard crop has been badly damaged as the cold and fog is very severe,” said Lalaram Meena, a farmer in Jaipur district.
In the state capital, roads wear a deserted look especially late in the evening as people prefer to remain indoors. Whoever has to be outdoors is usually found near a bonfire.
In a bid to provide relief to the homeless, the state government has put up makeshift tents in the city.
“These tents have been erected at almost all the places where we have large number of pavement dwellers,” an official of the district administration said.