Bhadrak/Balasore: Bulbul had damaged hundreds of houses affecting 4,000 people in Chandbali block, the revenue department’s estimates suggested.
Whatever paddy was left untouched by the previous rainfall were damaged to a great extent by rains induced by cyclonic storm Bulbul in most parts of Balasore and Bhadrak, leaving the farming community in utter distress, reports said.
Reports from Jaleswar said as Bulbul passed along the coast, gale coupled with heavy rains flattened paddy plants, tress and scores of houses at Jaleswar, Bhograi and Basta blocks of Balasore.
In many places, communication was to be restored as roads were still blocked by fallen trees. Houses had been damaged. Reports added that around 1,650 people had taken shelter in cyclone shelters and 37 schools in Jaleswar.
“380 people were served cooked food while dry food was distributed to others,” said Jaleswar BDO.
In Jaleswar, paddy is cultivated in 1,980 hectares while crops were reaped in 50 hectares. The rest paddy has been damaged, it was alleged.
Vegetable cultivation also suffered heavy losses in 250 hectares of land.
Electricity had not been restored in many areas.
After two days of rainfall, ripe paddy in thousands of acres have been lying soaked in water at Rupsa, Anke, Kasipada, Kuradiha, Bahabalpur, Dubulagadi, Chhanua, Sartha, Kasapahla, Srirampur,, ERasalpur, Gadapada, Baharda, Routpada, Mathani and Dudhahansa.
Farmers in these areas have lost all their hopes for paddy harvest.
Our hopes vanished into thin air after seeing the way Bulbul has battered our crops, lamented farmers like Sheikh Madhia, Bidyadhar Mohanty and Jagannath Singh.
Reports from Dhamnagar in Bhadrak said paddy cultivation has been completely damaged across hundreds of acres of farmlands in Dhusuri, Arajnapur, Nadigan, Kasimpur, Bayangdihi, Radhaballabhpur, Dobal, Bhattasahi, Chudakuti, Asurali, Khadipada, Bhagbanpur, Klayani, Dalang and Pradhani panchayats.
Farmers have demanded that the agriculture department and the block administration should immediately assess the damage and deliver the report to the government.
Reports from Aradi said Bulbul has badly affected Nandapur, Olaga, Palasahi, Sundarpur, Raepur and Shyamsundarpur panchayats.
Meanwhile, Dhamnagar tehsildar Durgacharan Murmu and officials of the agriculture department have started making field visits to assess the extent of damage.
Bulbul has caused extensive damage to crops in Dhamra and Chandbali area.
RDC (Central range) Anil Kumar Samal visited some areas in Chandbali, Sunday. Samal held a meeting with officials of various departments about expeditious steps to assess damage; prepare list of the affected farmers and make immediate provisions to help the people. Samal laid stress on restoring communication, clearing mess, supply of drinking water and restoration of power. He directed the RWSS to make use of generators to supply drinking water to households.
The revenue department had initially assessed that 4,000 people were affected after hundreds of houses were damaged in the block, but he was doubtful of the report.
Some officials assured the RC that the affected farmers will be provided compensation within a week.
PNN