It’S been a terrible summer so far for Amarjeet Singh, a farmer from Sahauran village, some 7 km from Kharar in Mohali district. “I get up many times at night, hoping to see dark clouds that could bring me and my land some relief,” says the 66-year- old, who owns about 10 acres of land.

The rains are crucial in Punjab as paddy sowing is at its peak now. The wilted saplings on Amarjeet’s land reflect the real story of the farmers in Punjab. “Last year as well, the monsoon was late but the pre-monsoon showers saw us through,” says Amarjeet’s elder son Arvinder Singh.

“Since there have been no pre-monsoon showers either, we are late in sowing jiri (paddy),” says Amarjeet, who has a family of 10 to support.

The erratic power supply for this tubewell is also adding to his worries. “We barely are able to irrigate one patch of land before there’s another cut,” he says. “You see here, I am not sowing paddy as I should be. It’s to grow feed for my cattle. They are dependent on me too.” “

The drought isn’t my only worry — the last time when all dried up was in 1984. What if it rains too hard or too less, the winds can play havoc as well and then in winter there are the harsh elements to deal with once again,” adds Amarjeet.

With most of his land running along the highway, he lives in fear of his land getting acquired by the Government. “My worries are manifold... where do I begin sharing them with you?” he asks.