Sambalpur: The Chief Minister had announced a compensation package for farmers and other people affected by the cyclonic storm Yaas June 10.
However, the exclusion of Sambalpur district from the list of Yaas affected districts has left the farmers deprived of compensation. As a result, the fate of the farmers now hinges with the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC).
The farmers will be able to get some relief if the SRC announces some compensation or financial assistance for them.
Notably, farmers in Sambalpur district cultivate rabi crops with water available for irrigation from Hirakud dam and the lift irrigation points in Kuchinda.
The farmers here cultivate paddy as well as pulses, oilseeds and vegetables during the ravi seasons. However, the unseasonal rainfall has destroyed crops grown on 8000 hectares of farmlands.
Reports said that the unseasonal rainfall and thunderstorm which occurred in May destroyed the paddy crops grown by the farmers in Sambalpur district. However, their bad days were not yet over.
Whatever they had managed to save was destroyed in the cyclonic storm Yaas which struck the state, May 25. The paddy crops on their farmland, farmyard and harvested paddy in sacks were destroyed after getting wet in the rainfall caused by the calamity.
Farmers’ outfits and various political parties staged protests demanding compensation for the former.
Bowing to the demands, the officials of agriculture and revenue department undertook surveys to make an assessment of the loss incurred by the farmers during the calamity.
However, according to the agriculture department officials, they are yet to submit the report. Farmers apprehend that they will be deprived of receiving compensation if the administration makes delay in submitting primary report.
Ashok Pradhan, convener of Paschim Odisha Krushak Sangathan said, “The farmers faced problems during harvesting of rabi crops as labourers failed to come over here due to Covid restrictions imposed in the district and other parts of Western Odisha.
The unseasonal rainfall and the cyclonic storm Yaas played havoc with the yield of farmers. The harvested paddy got wet in the rainfall and has sprouted. Farmers tried to harvest their crops with machines but failed to do so as the farmlands became waterlogged during the rainfall.
As a result, paddy crops on hectares and hectares of farmlands were destroyed. The farmers’ outfit had gheraoed the district collectorate recently in this regard.
The additional district magistrate (ADM) Umakant Raj had met the farmers and assured them that a report on the loss would be prepared and submitted to the state government within two days.
Since then, 10 days have passed but the district administration is yet to prepare a report and submit it to the state government. He alleged that farmers are facing various problems due to the administrative apathy for which farmers will be soon staging an agitation.
When contacted, SK Ray, chief agriculture officer in the district said farmers will not be getting compensation as the name of Sambalpur district does find any mention in the list of 10 Yaas affected districts. However, a report on crop loss is being prepared which will be soon submitted to the state government. Various aspects regarding crop loss will be reviewed as per rules laid out by SRC.
PNN