Khaira: Even as farmers in Khaira area of Balasore district have not paid their pending loans and await compensation, a fresh worry in the form of pest attacks on paddy crops has wracked their minds.
The problem has come when paddy plants have started flowering in Bhrugupur and Paikalpur of Jhinkaria panchayat even as farm officials have failed to find a solution to it, a report said.
Hopes of a good harvest this year are gradually vanishing. Already, paddy has been damaged in 10 acres in the panchayat.
“If immediate step is not taken to check its spread, paddy across hundreds of acres of farmland will be ruined,” said farmers of the two villages.
Acres of paddy had got damaged due to pest onslaught. Following repeated allegations, several teams of agriculture officials and scientists from National Rice Research Institute (NRRI) took stock of the situation and attributed it to various bacterial diseases.
After application of pesticides and chemicals applied several times, the pest attack could not be checked. About 60 per cent of paddy in the areas had damaged. The local revenue inspector and then Khaira tehhsidar had assessed the crop damage and submitted reports to the Collector.
Famers alleged that one year has passed, but they have not yet received a single paisa as compensation or insurance claim.
“This year we had expected a lot and sown seeds provided by Ranital Krishi Vigyan Kendra. Crops grew luxuriantly, but pest attack has dashed all our hopes,” they lamented.
Farmer Padmalochan Upadhayay said, ”If last year’s compensation is not paid and anti-pest measures are not taken, we will reply the local leaders in votes in coming elections. If necessary, all affected famers will boycott voting.”
Basudev Satpathy, assistant agriculture office of Khaira block said,” After complaints from farmers, I along with crop protection officer Sudam Charan Nayak, Soro agriculture officer Sridhar Das, agriculture scientist of Ranital Krishi Vigyan Kendra Umashankar Nayak took stock of the situation. The disease has not been rightly detected. Samples have been sent to OUAT for investigation.”
Khaira Tehsildar Pradip Sahu said he will look into the causes for failure of compensations to famers. “After crop cutting, loss will be assessed and step will be taken this year, he added.
Simulia MLA Jyoti Prakash Panigrahi said he would talk to the Collector about the compensation and will talk to the agriculture department regarding steps to check spread of pest attack.
PNN