GhanashyamNial of Mahulpada village of Nuapada district feels devastated as his 3.5 acres of land in BartansilMauza of Boden block took hardly three days to turn gray due to pest attack. "Agriculture officials say the disease is called ‘blast’. The plants were full-grown and seeds were looking very healthy, but the situation changed suddenly and the whole field dried in three days inspite of application of pesticides," lamented Ghanashyam.
Ghanashyam is not alone in this village having faced loss due to blast attack. There are many others. ParamanandMajhi has lost paddy in 2.4 acres. Likewise, Jagabandhu Hans, Mohan Naik, SudhanshuKhamari, Pabitra Panda and several other farmers of the village have faced crop loss in two to three acres of land each. The situation is similar in the neighbouring villages.
"Blast is one of the most destructive diseases affecting paddy in our area. About 1,200 acres of paddy has been destroyed in last ten days. We spent thousands of rupees on pesticides, but nothing worked," said farmer SudhanshuKhamari.
Sanjay Tiwari of Bendrabahal Village of Khariar block, who is convenor of the Krushak Shakti Sangathan, said, "Such attack is more in lands where chemical fertiliser application is more." Tiwari, a big farmer,asserts that none of his paddy fields is affected by blast although the fields in his neighbourhood have been affected.
The farmers are desperately waiting for Government intervention in controlling the disease.
