PADDY CROP SURVIVES ONLY IN 10 OF 405 ACRES IN B’NGIR VILLAGE Tuesday, 12 September 2017 | SUDHIR MISHRA | BALANGIR | in Bhubaneswar

PADDY CROP SURVIVES ONLY IN 10 OF 405 ACRES IN B’NGIR VILLAGE

Tuesday, 12 September 2017 | SUDHIR MISHRA | BALANGIR | in Bhubaneswar

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Bangabahl village, located 40 km from here in Agalpur block, has a canal system but still the farmers here are suffering for failing to get irrigation.

The beautiful surrounding and water canals criss-crossing the village notwithstanding, one gets disheartened to see most of the land in the village lying fallow. A vast stretch near a mountain is weeds infested as either people have not taken up cultivation or the paddy plants have failed to survive-- all due to lack of water.“Our village which gets water from Ang water irrigation project is located in the tail end of it. This year we did not get water in the canal in time and our paddy crop was badly affected,” says a villager.

Out of 405 acre, paddy crop has survived in barely 10 acre, rues another.

A lot of water supplied to our paddy fields though canal is lost in seepages. The canal bringing water should be cleaned before July and need to be properly maintained. Besides, water should be released timely. But no such step was taken by the authorities. Our villagers have highlighted this problem but the officials have turned a deaf ear, says Ananda Pradhan, a village youth.

Our village faced drought situation in 2012 and we got very poor amount of compensation, laments a villager.

Bangabahl village although is an irrigated village, yet severe crop loss has occurred this year due absence of water in canal. Only crop in 10 acre out of around 405 acre has survived. All this happened due to apathy and negligence of the irrigation officials. We demand action against the officials responsible and declaration of the panchayat as drought affected, says former LokSabha Youth Congress president Akash Mishra.

“We demand farm loan of farmers be waived and water cess be not collected. The Government should make arrangements for livelihood opportunity for the people or else road blockade would be held in future,” warns Akash Mishra further.