Bargarh: Thousands of acres of paddy fields in Bijepur block in Bargarh districts have become grazing grounds for cattle, thanks to drought-like condition and pest-attack that has left the farmers dejected with severe crop loss and loan burden.
According to sources, the block comprises of 110 revenue villages while only 10 of them avail water from Hirakud. The remaining 100 villages have to depend on rainfall.
In the Kharif season this year, paddy was cultivated in 19,901 hectare farm in this block. Even as rainfall due to Titli showered in the block, farmers couldn’t store water due to lack of storage facilities.
All the rain water drained and got wasted. In presence of a storage facility, farmers could have stored the rain water and used it in irrigation purpose. Moreover, while the paddy crop in the block usually requires 228mm of rainfall, it witnessed only 151 mm of rainfall in September. On the other hand, while 52mm of rainfall happens in October other years, this year there was no rain at all this month.
Even as the rainfall triggered due to cyclonic storm ‘Titli’ created flood like situation in other parts of the state, Bijepur block in Bargarh district received very little rainfall which did not help the farmers in anyway. This created drought-like situation in the block, damaging standing paddy crop and bringing huge loss for farmers. Lack of water storage facilities also compounded the woes of the farmers as standing crop has slowly started to wither.
With no option left, the farmers are now letting cattle graze in their fields while they are having sleepless nights to return the loans borrowed from banks, cooperative societies and private moneylenders. Most of them are left with no means to fend their families.
“The crops have been totally damaged due to lack of rain. We have no other way other than to let the cattle graze in the damaged paddy fields,” said a farmer, Susant Patel of Karnapa village.
“Acres of farms in our area are facing drought-like situation with no rain this year. We are left with no way to save our crop. We have to feed our family. We have to return loans to the banks. What shall we do? Should we commit suicide?” added another farm Dinabandhu Sahu of Pankeldihi village.
The farmers pleaded with the administration to look into their plight and provide necessary compensation.
PNN
