Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, Oct 8: A five-member Central team Wednesday visited four of the eight deficient rainfall districts of the state to assess the drought situation there.
The team led by additional commissioner of ministry of agriculture RP Malik visited selected areas of Bolangir, Bargarh, Kandhamal and Sonepur districts, where crop was damaged due to insufficient rainfall. The team also interacted with affected farmers.
“We have seen there is extensive damage to paddy crop in upland areas and production may be reduced in low land,” L Bose, one of the members of the team, said.
“Our objective is to hold discussions with farmers to assess the effect of deficit rainfall on the paddy crop. As per our assessment, paddy crop has been affected and in certain places the crop has failed,” Malik said.
The team is scheduled to visit Keonjhar, Dhenkanal, Khurda and Boudh
districts Thursday.
The group also comprised senior officials of the state government and a representative of the ICAR-Central Rice Research Institute, Cuttack. After visiting the areas, the team will hold discussions with the state agriculture director.
BJP spokesperson Sameer Mohanty said, “While the BJD is beating drums over the alleged negligence by the Centre through its padayatra, the former has sent a team to inspect the drought situation in the state.”
However, agriculture minister Pradeep Maharathy said the visit of the team will not be fruitful for farmers as it is the state government which will take necessary action to combat the situation.
The state government has formed a joint
inspection team which would submit
its report before October 20 and accordingly, remedial measures would be taken, he added.
