Shimla: After more than 40 days of an alarming dry spell, widespread rain across Himachal Pradesh and fresh snowfall in the high-altitude tribal belt have finally brought much-needed relief to farmers, forests and the tourism sector.
According to the India Meteorological Department, the current spell of rain is likely to continue as a fresh western disturbance is expected to revive, bringing more showers to the hill state in the coming days.
The long spell of rain across the Chopal belt and other parts of the state, along with fresh snowfall in the snow-bound district of Lahaul and Spiti, has eased concerns triggered by prolonged dry weather that had increased the risk of forest fires and worried farmers waiting for soil moisture.
Mild snowfall was reported in the Lahaul valley and around the north portal of the Atal Tunnel. Snowfall also occurred at the 13,050-ft high Rohtang Pass, bringing back a sharp chill in the tourist hub of Manali and surrounding areas.
Farmers across the state had been anxiously waiting for rain after a prolonged dry period that left fields parched. Many growers had already mixed fertilizers into the soil but were unable to proceed with sowing and other operations due to lack of moisture.
The current rainfall has revived hopes for agriculture, especially for apple growers and farmers who have sown off-season vegetables and traditional crops.
Rain has been reported from several apple-growing belts including Chopal, Rohru, Jubbal, Kotkhai and Rampur, besides parts of Kullu, Chamba, Kangra and Mandi.
The rainfall has also led to a drop in temperatures by around three to four degrees Celsius across many areas. In higher reaches of Lahaul and Spiti, temperatures have plunged below freezing.
Experts say the sudden dip in temperature could slightly delay the early physiological stages in apple orchards.
The development of green tip and silver tip stages in higher altitude apple belts may slow down temporarily, but growers say the rainfall is still crucial as it replenishes soil moisture after weeks of dryness.
With another western disturbance expected to become active soon, the IMD has forecast additional spells of rain and snowfall in the coming days, raising hopes that the long dry spell that had gripped Himachal may finally ease.
