The Western Odisha Regional Farmers’ Association on Wednesday submitted a memorandum to the Jharsuguda district Collector urging him to declare lakhanpur block district as drought-affected.
Farmer leaders informed collector Parameswarm B that more than 90 per cent people of 33 gram panchayats of the block depend on agriculture to earn livelihood. This year, crops in the entire block area have been damaged due to scanty rainfall. Hence, the administration should declare the block as drought-hit and provide adequate aid to farmers for sustenance.
“Farmers will not be able to repay loans they had taken from banks and money-lender to purchase cultivation equipment, seeds and fertilisers,” the leaders lamented.
They too threatened that farmers would be forced to resort to agitation if lakhanpur block is not declared drought-hit.
Association members too gave copies of the memorandum to Brajrajnagar MlA Radharani Panda and Bargarh MP Dr Pravas Kumar Singh.