Umerkote: Believe it or not, streetlights installed in this town under Umerkote Municipality limits of Nabarangpur district are allegedly hindering the proper germination of paddy seeds on farmlands in the civic body areas. This has resulted in crop loss on over 10 acres of farmlands. Many pointed out that even though modern inventions have made life easy, sometimes they are also detrimental. The civic body authorities have installed around 150 streetlights on a 2 km stretch from this town to Nuanguda. Approximately 90% of the poles used for the lights have been installed near farmlands. It has been noticed that in patches where the light hits directly, paddy shoots do not germinate.
On the other hand, in areas that are covered in darkness, the germination has been normal. Farmers whose lands are under the glare of streetlights are now in distress. They alleged that they had borrowed heavily for the crops but their cultivation suffered because of streetlights. They are now at a loss regarding the repayment of their loans. The affected farmers have demanded compensation from the government for their losses.
Contacted, district agriculture officer Bijay Kumar Patnaik confirmed the development. He said that paddy cultivation is done in a short period of time. “The paddy shoots will never germinate if they remain under the glare of bright lights round the clock. So for the paddy to grow, the streetlights need to be turned off,” he added
