SRC assesses drought situation in Balangir, assures help to farmers

Balangir: Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Bishnupada Sethi visited Balangir district on Wednesday to take stock of the drought situation.

Sethi, accompanied by other officials, interacted with the farmers of the drought-hit areas of the district.

Following survey and discussion with the district officials, the SRC asked the collector to prepare a detailed assessment report and submit the same to the government.

Sethi had visited the water-stressed pockets of Nuapada district the previous day. The team visited villages of Godfula, Jhilmila and Ratipali in Nuapada block, Palsipani, Kasipala, Dungripali and Jalamkata in Komna block besides Laxmipur, Kodapali in Khariar block. Crops did not develop paddy stalks and wide cracks occurred on farm lands in the absence of moisture at these places.

The SRC interacted with the farmers and reassured them that all efforts are directed towards providing them timely succour. He inquired from farmers about the agriculture input cost.

He had visited Bargarh, where non-irrigated pockets are facing drought for third consecutive season, on Monday. After scanty rainfall, farmers are now facing pest attack on crops in command areas of Bargarh, Bheden and Attabira in the district. They alleged that pesticides had failed to contain the pests and paddy saplings had dried up at several places.

On October 3, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had asked collectors of nine districts to conduct a detailed survey on the amount of rainfall and crop loss at block and panchayat levels in their respective districts, and accordingly submit the report by October 15.