Farmers who have suffered crop losses as a result of unseasonal rain over the past three days are unlikely to receive compensation for the losses. They become ineligible as no single block recorded the amount of rainfall fixed as the benchmark for relief.
An Orissa Relief Code (ORC) stipulation states: “Heavy rain would mean three days or more of uninterrupted rainfall, the total amounting to at least three times that month’s average rainfall in the block/area. In absence of supporting materials, continuous rainfall ranging from 64.5 mm to 124.4 mm per day for three days or more and/or 124.5 mm and above for more than one day may be treated as heavy rainfall.”
A report posted on Facebook by the Special Relief Commissioner’s (SRC’s) office shows that rainfall received over the past three days does not match the set criterion in any block.
For instance, Nishintakoili block in Cuttack has recorded 92.7 mm rainfall over the last three days (November 15 to 17).
But thrice its monthly average rainfall of 45 mm is 135 mm. Similarly, Chikiti block of Ganjam district, although it received 119.2 mm rainfall, does not qualify for relief as thrice its monthly average rainfall of 71.1 mm is 213.3 mm.
Revenue minister Maheswar Mohanty had stated that farmers would receive compensation in accordance with the parameters fixed and that further action will be taken once rainfall data was received. He was not available for comment, though, after the data was released.
Meanwhile, farmers in the affected areas are in fear that they will suffer losses as the rain is likely to affect the quality of grain. They hope the government would request the centre to relax the fair average quality set for procurement of paddy, just as it had done in the wake of cyclone Phailin.
“Paddy yield has undoubtedly been affected in several coastal districts. We are awaiting the crop damage report and will take necessary action after getting it,” food supplies and consumer welfare minister Surya Narayan Patro said.
