Loisingha: Even as incessant rain lashes the district, a breach in the lower catchment area of Agalapali irrigation canal of Badibahal panchayat under Loisingha block in Bolangir district that occurred a year back has aggravated sand cast on farmlands here.
The canal breach has not yet been repaired after over one year. Catchment area of the canal is about 15 acres which provides rain water to local farmers to irrigate hundreds of acres of land in Agalapali, Chauhanpali, including Kumunde and Nardakata villages of Sonepur district as well. Use of rainwater for irrigation purposes has gone for a toss, local farmers alleged.
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Notably, a 25-30 feet wide breach had occurred on the irrigation canal. The farmers had then demanded its repair before Kharif crop season. Rain water flows down to the lower catchment thereby causing wastage of water resource. Local farmers apprehend that paddy seeds that have already been sown on some nearby farmlands could fail to germinate.
Notably, the minor irrigation project at Khajurikanta got damaged and developed a breach after facing similar conditions last rainy season. Local farmers were badly affected then due to severe sand cast.
PNN