Kendrapara: The state government-sponsored concrete paddy yard scheme has failed to benefit farmers in Kendrapara district with a majority of the paddy yards remaining under encroachments.
The constructed yards have either been encroached or are used for storing construction materials or for cattle shed purposes. But these yards instead of being of any help to farmers have slipped into encroachments. As a result, harvested crops lie in piles on farmlands while farmers continue to suffer.
Meanwhile, 106 paddy yards have been constructed in the district. The agriculture department has constructed 28 yards while the rest are under Derabish and Pattamundai regulated market committees (RMCs). The area of each yard is 2.5 ‘gunth’ and each has been constructed at a cost of Rs 7 to Rs 9 lakh.
Farmers have alleged that a few days after the construction, most of the paddy yards get damaged due to sub-standard works. Reports said the state government constructed concrete paddy yards in villages across Kendrapara district to help farmers store, thresh and dry their paddy crops after harvest.
The scheme was welcomed by the farmers as they thought that they would no longer face problems in storing, drying and threshing up their paddy after harvest. However, that never happened as influential persons encroached these yards.
Ananta Mallick, a resident of Barimula village under Derabish block, said agriculture is the mainstay of the residents as the district lacks any industries or other forms of employment.
Farmers here mostly cultivate paddy for which the state agriculture department has constructed paddy yards in various villages of the district. However, they hardly store or thresh their paddy on these yards because of encroachments.
Lakshmidhar Swain, a farmer of Mahakalapara, alleged that the agriculture department spent around Rs 7 to Rs 8 lakh on construction of these yards. However, the contractor has constructed them at his whims as there is none to supervise them.
There is another reason why the project has failed. Paddy yards are mostly constructed at one end of the village for which farmers living on the other end find it difficult to take their produce to the yards. Farmers demanded that the department take urgent steps to get the yards freed from encroachments.
When contacted, district chief agriculture officer Siba Prasad Mallick said the yards are not constructed for storing construction materials or cow dung cakes. Farmers should oppose those who are using the yards for other than agriculture purposes, he said.
Ajay Kumar Rout, secretary of the regulated market committee, said he is yet to receive a complaint in this regard but assured of an inquiry and eviction of the encroachers if any complaint is made to him.
PNN