Drought stares B’ngir in face as rainfall deficient

Due to inadequate rainfall, transplanting and other scheduled farming operations of paddy cultivation in Balangir district could not be carried out. Paddy seedlings are growing old and cracks have been developed in the paddy field, thanks to shortage of water. Consequently, the specter of drought looms large over the district.

Out of the targeted paddy cultivation in 1, 90,000 hectares in the district, this year the cultivation has been taken up in 1, 35,000 hectares, informed Deputy Director of Agriculture Sridhar Das on Monday.

In June, Balangir district received 52 per cent less rainfall and in July the shortfall was 7 per cent than the normal average rainfall. As there is no rainfall since July 24, paddy crop situation in Titilagarh sub division, Belpada and Bangomunda area is bad.

According to sources, out of the 14 blocks of the district, namely Muribahal, Bangomunda, Belpada and Tureikela have received severely scanty rainfall. The other affected blocks are Loisingha, Puintala,Khaprakhol, Saintala, and Agalpur, where rainfall was less affecting the paddy cultivation badly.

Adding insult to injury, there are reports of shortage of pesticide supply and farmers are in trouble protecting the seedlings from pest attack. Last year, there were allegations of substandard pesticide sale to farmers in Balangir where the officials were in collusion with some unscrupulous elements. However, after raid by the agricultural officials, its samples were collected and sent to Faridbad and Harayana for examination. The report is still awaited even though eight months have elapsed.