Post News Network
Nuapada/Bargarh, Dec 3: Central teams visiting drought-affected districts in the state Thursady termed the scenario in Nuapada alarming. The two Central teams visited Padmapur sub-division in Bargarh district and Nuapada.
The five-member team led by KS Srinivasan said this before media after visiting the farmlands in Nuapada district.
The team, after its arrival at Gotama airstrip in a helicopter, left for Godaphula village about 5 km from the district headquarters and enquired about the farming from farmers. The farmers said they have not harvested a grain after sowing the seeds. The farmers even took the team to their farmlands and showed them their condition. The team later left for Paraskhol, Samarsingh, Sinapali, and Kurumpuri villages and took stock of the situation.
Later, the members joined a meeting at the Sadbhabana conference hall of the collectorate and had a detailed discussion on the drought situation with various stakeholders. They enquired about the plans adopted by the district administration under agriculture, horticulture, veterinary, water and sanitation and MGNREGS programmes to combat the drought situation and the amount of time needed to tide over the situation.
Zilla Parishad vice-chairman Bhanupratap Singh said there is a need for a long term plan to combat the drought situation. While over Rs 7 crore has been provided as input subsidy for drought, there is a need for Rs 33.69 lakh for horticulture purpose and a similar amount for conducting fodder camps and purchasing mini-kits.
Srinivasan assured members to report to the Centre and draw its attention to resolve the drought situation. Collector Sidique Alam, Zilla Parishad chairperson Pushpanjali Pandey, PD, DRDA Pradip Kumar Naik and sub-collector Sarat Srichandan attended the meeting.
Another five-member team led by Niti Ayog member Manas Choudhury visited nine villages under four blocks of Padmapur sub-division in Bargarh district and enquired about the drought situation in their region.
