Keonjhar: Local farmers in Keonjhar face acute irrigation problems, as there has been sporadic rainfall in the district due to an unsatisfactory monsoon season. Most farmlands here have become dry and paddy seedlings have died out.
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“Even as the local farmers have already started farming activities, they apprehend drought-like conditions in the days ahead. Hardly there was monsoon rain over past three months”, some farmers said.
Several villages of Nuagaon panchayat under Sadar block in Keonjhar district have concrete irrigation canals in the region. Similarly, an irrigation canal which passes through Baradapal area bordering Kenduposi has no water at all for the purpose of irrigation.
Allegedly, the canal has not been repaired for past two years. The farmers in Keonjhar district have demanded for the construction of a concrete canal supposedly from Baradapal area up to Narasinghpur several times, but in vain. Water of a nearby river cannot be utilised for irrigation purposes, unless and until the canal is repaired.
Notably, local youths of Kenduposi panchayat had earlier tried to repair the soil casted and dilapidated irrigation canal.
“Keonjhar district administration should be proactive and construct new concrete canals in order to facilitate better irrigation of farmlands”, some farmers of Baradapal area said.
PNN