Bhubaneswar: The state government Tuesday said compensation would be provided to the farmers, whose crop has been damaged due to heavy rain triggered by cyclone Phethai.
Speaking to reporters here, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Bishnupada Sethi said, “After getting information from the IMD, we have advised the farmers for timely harvest. However, some standing paddy crop couldn’t be harvested.”
“We will examine the damage reports and compensate the farmers as per the SDRF (State Disaster Response Fund) norms,” he said.
Except Puri, Jajpur, Balasore, Kendrapara, Bhadrak and Jagatsinghpur districts, all other districts have experienced heavy rainfall in the past two days, Sethi said.
The highest rainfall of 75.3 mm has been recorded in Jharsuguda while Sambalpur district recorded 73.5 mm rainfall followed by Sundargarh 71.8 mm, Bargarh 71.5 mm, Deogarh 68.3 mm and Sonepur 67.7 mm, he pointed out.
Besides, Gajapati and Boudh districts have recorded over 50 mm rainfall. As many as 100 out of 314 blocks have recorded 50 mm or more rainfall, the SRC said.
Meanwhile, India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the low pressure area over northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining coastal Odisha lies over northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining coastal areas of West Bengal and north Odisha.
The system is likely to weaken further, leading to significant reduction in rainfall activity over east India during next 12 hours, it said.
“Dry weather is likely to prevail at many places in the state from Wednesday while shallow fog will prevail in some places,” said director of Bhubaneswar Met Centre HR Biswas.
