Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, June 8: Expressing concern over a likely deficit in rainfall, the state government Monday asked district collectors to prepare contingency plans to tackle a possible drought situation. It also cancelled the three-day ‘Raja’ festival off for all employees of the agriculturBIG CONCERN, e department.
“Going by the Met forecast, we have asked district collectors to prepare contingency plans and submit them to the department. We have also asked them to let us know if they need any help to ensure availability of seeds that require less water,” agriculture minister Pradeep Kumar Maharathy said here.
Besides, the ‘Raja’ holidays of all officials of the agriculture department have been cancelled, he said. “All officials of the department have been asked to remain alert to tackle the situation. 24-hour control rooms will be opened in district agriculture offices in the state,” the minister said, adding weather related information would be fed to farmers from block offices.
Maharathy said collectors would inform in advance about the requirement of their areas including requirement of seeds, fertilizer and pesticide by the farmers. “The collectors will encourage farmers to grow crops that require less water,” the minister said.
Additional director of agriculture Aparti Sethi said the Centre has warned the state government of possible less rainfall leading to drought this year. “Necessary directives have been issued to the district collectors from the special relief commissioner’s office,” Sethi said.
“We have experienced droughts and heavy floods in the past and these have been successfully tackled. For the current kharif season, we must keep ourselves prepared. To mitigate adverse situations, contingency plans may be prepared well in advance considering the local condition,” the director of agriculture said, adding during such times, our prime responsibility will be to make available primary agriculture inputs like seeds, fertilizers and pesticides for needy farmers.
Meanwhile, local Met office director Sarat Chandra Sahu said, “The southwest monsoon has remained over the northeastern region. A depression over the Arabian Sea could hamper the pace and course of the monsoon.”
