A hybrid variety of paddy developed by Indira Gandhi Agriculture University (IGAU) Raipur, which was advertised by Agriculture department officials as comparatively resistant to a specific diseases has suffered heavy damage in Surguja region due to the same disease, claimed leader of Opposition in Chhattisgarh legislative Assembly TS Singhdeo, on Thursday.
In a letter written to State Agriculture Minister Brijmohan Agrawal he said that farmers in lakhanpur and Darima block of Surguja district had planted “Indira Rajeshwari (hybrid Mahamaya)” paddy crop.
“The Agriculture Department officials had informed farmers in the region that this variety was more resistant to ‘Netblast’ diseases than other paddy types,” Singhdeo said. He claimed that about 90 per cent of this crop has been damaged due to ‘Netblast’ diseases.
“Earlier also the Mahamaya/Savarna variety of paddy cultivated in Surguja region had met similar fate and there are high chances that these varieties of paddy if planted could fail in other parts of Chhattisgarh,” Singhdeo said.
He further said that it is also a matter of investigation that how the paddy seeds certified by Agriculture Science Center and after seed processing failed.
After touring the region, I felt that the local departmental staff had not performed their duties well due to which also the damage was high, he said. Singhdeo demanded from the State government to announce compensation based on the production of paddy affected by the disease.