Bahanaga/Rupsa: Farmers in Bahanaga and Rupsa blocks of Balasore district are a worried lot, as thousands of hectares of farmland have been inundated by floodwaters of Kansabansa and Jalaka rivers following two days of incessant rain.
The flash flood came as a blow to farmers when paddy saplings have started flowering. Besides, floodwaters remain stagnant and fail to drain out of farmland. With paddy plants flattened and soaked in rainwater, farmers have lost hope of harvest this year, it was learnt.
Hectares of farmlands in Kharasahapur, Chittal and Abhana panchayats have been the worst affected, a report said.
Farmers of Athilabaj, Uparaadia, Ramtaliadia, Baunsa Adia, Radhamadhabpur, Abhana, Chittal, Chhatubatti and Balikiran villages are now spending sleepless nights to save their paddy.
“In this time of flowering, paddy saplings are submerged in floodwaters and there is hardly any chance to get harvest,” lamented farmers Rajendra Mahalik, Bhagirathi Palai, Purnachandra Mahalik, Ajay Kumar Mahalik, Radhakant Mahalik, Ajay Sandha and Panchanan Mahalik.
They had cultivated paddy by borrowing from various sources. After the crop damage, they are now worried over repayment, the farmers said.
They alleged the prawn mafia has set up illegal elevated structures along the Coast Canal, as a result of which floodwaters fail to enter the canal. Prawn gherries have become hurdles in smooth drainage of floodwaters, the farmers observed.
Angry people cut an illegal dyke near the Coast Canal at Baramania to facilitate release of floodwaters into the canal. The dyke was laid by some fishermen.
Water-logging has also affected paddy crops in Rupsa with Jalaka flowing above the danger mark. Thousands of hectares in Gadapada, Raoutapada, Mathani, Baharda, Sadanandapur, Darada and Mukulusi are submerged under water. The level of floodwater is at 5.95 metre in river Subarnarekha and 7.94 metre in river Budhabalanga.
Crops in 4k hectares face damage
Tihidi: Paddy crops in 4,000 hectares of farmland face possibility of damage by water-logging in Tihidi block of Bhadrak district amid reports of house collapses. The house of Panchanana Das caved in due to incessant rains at Shyamsundarpur. Floodwaters from Salandi have submerged paddy cultivation in Baro, Bodak and Kanpada panchayats. Farmers demanded immediate loss assessment. PNN
