Badasahi/Morada: The state government is laying a lot of thrust on the agriculture sector, but farmers in Badasahi area in Mayurbhanj district are feeling let down as their farmlands are deprived of irrigation during rabi season.
Besides, many lift irrigation points have not been made operational due to lack of electricity.
The farmers allege that this is happening due to the deep-rooted apathy of the lift irrigation department.
According to reports, 138 lift irrigation points in the area are run on a partnership basis under 22 clusters. These projects provide irrigation coverage to 1,725 hectares of 1,380 farmers.
Besides, 165 irrigation projects, which are run through community, irrigate 6,250 acres of land. These projects help provide irrigation facility to over 4,000 farmers in both kharif and rabi season.
According to sources, 14 more proposals had been sent to the irrigation department. They were approved, but have remained stuck as tenders for these projects are yet to be floated.
Under partnership scheme, over 20 farmers are benefiting from each lift irrigation point. A farmer of SC/ST category has deposited Rs 10,000 while the deposit amount for a farmer from the general category is Rs 20,000.
Transformers for some lift irrigation points have been installed, but they lack electricity supply. As result, farmers are now worried over water supply to their land in rabi season.
Work on 33 lift irrigation points including four irrigation points under Kuliana cluster in Kenudiha panchayat, seven in Sakua cluster in Sialighati panchayat, six in Khuntapal cluster in Badasahi panchayat, five each in Belapal and Kandaliashola clusters, and six in Kuladiha cluster has been completed.
However, these projects have not been made operational due to lack of electricity.
Since meters have not fixed at lift irrigation points, pump sets could not be installed, said Raghunath Biswal, engineer of the lift irrigation department.
Farmers alleged that 165 hectares of land have been left uncultivated since their lift irrigation points have not been electrified.
Two such projects were recently completed at Mangalpur and Purikhunta.
Similarly, work of the lift irrigation points depending on river water is in the final stage at Rajgarh in Paunsia panchayat, Pandupal in Durgapur panchayat and Adidiha in Patisari panchayat.
Farmers like Bijay Mohapatra, Santosh Giri, Akshaya Nayak, Budhiram Tudu, Samray Hansda and Shib Shankar Behera demanded immediate steps to operationalise the lift irrigation points.
A relay testing engineer of Nesco said three-phase meters are not in stock. Meters will be fixed by the end of this month, he added.
A report from Morada said the lift irrigation corporation has sanctioned five lift bore well points at Tukapalasi under this block. Farmer Sanjay Mohant is one the beneficiaries. His project has remained incomplete for the last two years.
Mohant said he has not cultivated the land as the project has not been made functional. He has been requesting officials but no step is being taken. PNN
