About 35 Gram Panchayats in the Sukinda and Danagadi blocks in Jajpur district are reeling under drought situation due to scanty rainfall.
The paddy crops in these areas are in imminent danger of failing, partially due to water shortage. This follows poor monsoon precipitation in the present season and lack of proper irrigation facilities in the hilly areas of the blocks.
With the monsoon bringing little rainfall this season, the land is dry and unfit for cultivation and the worry lines are getting deeper.
“There has been no good rain so far this year. Now, we are in the throes of a famine,” said Sadananda Jena, a farmer from Sukinda.
Farming here is dependent on rain water and villagers say inadequate rainfall over the past four years has reduced them to penury.
“There is too much corruption in the system. Only a fraction of the money sanctioned by the Government reaches the people. Is the Government doing anything about itIJ” asked a bitter Jajdev Munda of Sukinda.
There are existing Government schemes to feed the poorest of the poor; provide them with free food grains or offer rice at highly subsidised prices, but the common people have hardly taken their advantage, lamented many farmers.
“We cannot let the crop fail. It is our life,” said Madan Sahoo of Danagadi, whose family members recently obtained loan of Rs1 lakh from bank to dig a bore well to irrigate their land.
For the farmers of these areas, crop loss due to non-availability of water is a common phenomenon as irrigation facility has been provided to all areas, said trade union leader Mayadhar Nayak.
Hope on Kharif crops has almost withered with the month long dry spell in non-irrigated areas in Kankalapala, Olia, Duburi, Dudhijori, Rasola, Kuhika and other villages. Problems like scarcity of fodder, drinking water and wage employment are assuming severe proportions due to scanty rainfall, said Parma Bikra, a farmer of Chinkudipala.
When contacted, district Collector Anil Kumar Samal, said, “The district administration has been providing works to a large number of villagers under the MNREGA. We are also providing rice under Rs1 scheme to the needy persons to mitigate their plight.”