BJP leader and former Assembly Deputy Speaker Rama Chandra Panda has demanded an immediate survey of drought situation in Ganjam and Gajapati districts.
The Government has not taken any visible initiative so far to fight the possible drought menace in the two districts, which have received scanty rainfall in the early phase of this year’s monsoon, Panda pointed out.
According to information available, there was 165mm rain on an average in Ganjam district during last fortnight, which provided only partial relief to the farmers but the rainfall was not sufficient for crops.
While the Government has not built a single new major irrigation project in the district during last two decades, the construction work of Baghua and Baghalati irrigation project is still incomplete, Panda lamented.
Notably, a team of BJP leaders led by party president KV Singh Deo earlier had also submitted a memorandum to State Governor Dr SC Jamir making similar demands for five more districts of western Odisha districts like Boudh, Subarnapur, Balangir, Nuapada and Kalahandi.
Agriculture Department sources, however, said conditions for paddy cultivation in the coastal and interior districts have improved following the recent low pressure-induced rainfalls. But the conditions in the western and southern districts have become a matter of concern as a drought-like situation has emerged in these areas.