Brahmapur: Farmers in Odisha, whose crops were damaged in floods caused by heavy rain triggered by Cyclone Arnab last week, are now worried about the impact of Cyclone Murasu, which is approaching the coast of adjoining Andhra Pradesh.
Standing crops in Ganjam, Kandhamal and Gajapati districts have been damaged by heavy rainfall due to Cyclone Arnab, officials said, adding that maximum damage was caused to paddy crops, especially in Ganjam.
Weather scientists predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall in southern Odisha, including Ganjam and Gajapati districts, from Monday to Wednesday under the impact of Murasu, which is likely to make landfall in Andhra Pradesh Tuesday night.
The prediction of fresh rainfall has heightened concerns among farmers who were struggling to save their standing crops.
Niranjan Mohanty of Baiganabadi village in Kukudakhandi block of Ganjam was trying to protect his standing paddy crop by draining rainwater from his field, which was inundated following heavy rain last week.
Mohanty is now worried about his crop’s prospects as the IMD forecast another spell of very heavy rainfall in the area.
“Standing paddy crops on around 10 acres of my land have been submerged in the floodwater, which is yet to be drained from the field. The fresh spell will rot the roots of the paddy, which is in the milking stage,” said Sameer Kumar Pradhan, a farmer in Takarada in Sheragada block of Ganjam district.
Shankar Kumar Pati, a farmer in Samantiapalli of Patrapur block, said, “If the district experiences fresh rainfall under the influence of Cyclone Murasu, the entire paddy crop will be destroyed.”
Although the exact loss due to the extreme heavy rainfall in the aftermath of Cyclone Arnab, which made landfall in Andhra Pradesh October 28, is yet to be assessed, agriculture officials estimated damage to crops on around 90,000 hectares.
Due to heavy rainfall and subsequent floods in the last week of September, the coastal district suffered crop loss in over 3,402 hectares. Paddy was cultivated in around 2.16 lakh hectares in the district during this Kharif season.
Chief District Agriculture Officer (CDAO) Manoranjan Roul said the administration was preparing to ascertain the crop loss caused by Cyclone Arnab when the IMD predicted more rainfall in the district.
“We have now planned to undertake a survey to ascertain the loss after the weather clears,” he added.
Meanwhile, the government has deployed an additional 145 agriculture officers, including six block agriculture officers, 55 agriculture overseers, 30 village agriculture workers and 35 horticulture overseers, to support the district administration for effective flood management and timely assessment of damage, and restoration.
A farmer from Ganjam district has allegedly died by suicide over crop loss due to heavy rain.
The deceased, Arjun Panda, a resident of Panasapadar village in Sheragada block of the district, was under stress as his crops were affected by heavy rain under the influence of Cyclone Arnab, his family members alleged.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has announced a special package of 50 kg of rice and Rs 2,500 for every family affected by the recent rain and flood in the southern districts, besides damages for losses to crops and property due to Cyclone Arnab.
Small and marginal farmers, who sustained crop loss of 33 per cent and above, will receive an agriculture input subsidy of Rs 8,500 per hectare of land in rain-fed and non-irrigated areas, while Rs 17,000 per hectare of land will be provided for areas under assured irrigation, he announced after reviewing the prevailing flood situation in the state Sunday evening.
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