Sunabeda: Groundnut cultivation on over 1,000 acre of farmland Jolaput reservoir in Koraput district was destroyed following the discharge of floodwater from the dam leaving the displaced farmers in a fix. Water level in the reservoir had fallen in the summer season. However, the water level increased after torrential rainfall lashed the district due to a low-pressure in the Bay of Bengal.
As a result, hundreds of farmers in eight out of 10 panchayats, who have been displaced for the reservoir, were pushed to the brink of bankruptcy. This has also pushed them into distress as they stare at a bleak future ahead.
Meanwhile, the Agriculture and Revenue departments are also reluctant to make an assessment of the crop loss and recommend the names of affected farmers for compensation despite losses amounting to several lakhs as they lack land pattas. This has sparked resentment among the farmers who claimed that they had become landless after their lands were acquired for the construction of the reservoir. Displaced farmers of Padua, Kulabir, Panthalung, Paraja, Badapada, Atanda, Kularsingh, Golur in Bilaput panchayat adjoining the reservoir said that they had cultivated groundnuts on the acquired land as it was lying vacant without being put into use. They had also taken up the cultivation in the summer season and for the fertility of the land.
However, their hopes were shattered following the crop loss. Sources said that the Jolaput reservoir and Macchkund hydroelectric project were established as part of a joint venture between Odisha and Andhra Pradesh in 1955. The purpose of the two projects is irrigation and power production. Over 1,963 sq km of land spread over 100 villages in 10 panchayats of Nandapur block were acquired for Jolaput reservoir. The residents in these villages lost their homeland, farmlands, means of livelihood and also the adjoining jungles in the process. Some of the villagers relocated to Malkangiri while the rest constructed houses on the hilly and forest lands and started staying there. As they were living a life of poverty, they decided to grow some crops on the vacant land. The agriculture officials in Nandapur block had distributed groundnut seeds and kits to the registered farmers for the cultivation of groundnut on 150 hectare in 23 panchayats.
As per the list, only 12 farmers in Golur and Atanda panchayats received the groundnut seeds while the rest of the farmers procured them from outside. All the affected farmers and sarpanches in eight panchayats have drawn the attention of the district administration, Pottangi MLA Rama Chandra Kadam, his Koraput counterpart Raghuram Machha and Koraput MP Saptagiri Ulaka to intervene and take steps to address their plights.
