SCANT RAINS HIT STANDING PADDY CROP IN BALANGIR
Monday, 23 September 2013
| SUDHIR MISHRA | BALANGIR | in Bhubaneswar
5
The
specter of drought looms large in Bongomunda and its adjoining Muribahal block,
thanks to absence of rainfall in last 14 days and deficient rainfall in August
last. The farmers are a worried lot as their standing paddy crop is going to
wither in the absence of rain and assured irrigation.
This year although
rainfall was widely distributed in the month of June and July, yet it was
deficient in August in Bongomunda block. According to available data in August,
it received only 186.5mm against its average rainfall 360.4 mm. And in
September, it received only 9 mm against the average 223.0 mm rainfall.
As a
result, cracks have started appearing in the paddy field and the moisture
stress symptom has also started appearing. This has really put the farmers in a
fix. The assured irrigation system in this block is low. Only five out of the
22 panchyats in the block are getting partial irrigation from different
projects. The irrigation projects also suffer from siltation and other
problems providing less benefit to the farmers. The lift irrigation points are
defunct for many reasons including absence of electricity connection. Already
upland paddy has started suffering from the prolonged dry spell.
This is
the crucial time for flowering of paddy and a small amount of rainfall is
required. Unless there is rain within next three days, paddy crop in Attland
and Bernna land would suffer extensively, said sources. The
rainfall situation in Muribahal block is also not a rosy one. It also received
less rainfall in August and September this year affecting the Kharif paddy crop
further.
Unless there is rain
within next three to four days, the paddy crop of Bongomunda block is going to
suffer and drought seems likely. “This year, there has been deficient rainfall
in Bongomunda block and we are keeping a watch on the situation,” says Deputy
Director of Agriculture Manoranjan Mallick.
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