Nayagarh: State’s first pulses research centre in this district is facing closure threat at a time when the demand for according GI tag to Nayagarh’s green gram (moong dal) is gaining traction, a report said.
Similarly, after the closure of the sugar mill, the sugarcane research centre at Panipoila in the district has also become defunct and is visible only by its signboard. These two cases are clear examples as to how administrative apathy and neglect could bring down these research centres which once used to be the pride of the district. These two centres are lying defunct for the last four years and have failed to become operational.
The pulses reaserch centre started losing its importance and slipped into obscurity after a regional research centre for pulses under Kanpur based-Indian Institute of Pulses Research (IIPR), a wing of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) started functioning at Khurda farmhouse at Gurujanga in Khurda, from 2019. The Khurda centre is the fourth such institute in the country.
IIPR has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the state government to conduct research for a period of 50 years. The Khurda-based centre is conducting research to find out new varieties of pulses of green gram, black grams and horse grams. The centre is engaged in research to find out the pulses varieties that could grow in different types of climates.
Reports said a pulses research centre was established at Nayagarh to conduct research on the Nayagarh moong dal or green gram which is known for its distinctive taste, aroma and quality. The centre was established over 36 acre of land in the district headquarters of Nayagarh.
The centre soon rose to such a height that it even started conducting trial on chickpea seeds sent by the Indian Institute of Pulses Research in Kanpur. The centre soon invented two high quality green gram seeds which received good response from the farmers in the state and in other parts of the country.
However, it started losing its prominence after the posts of researchers and research specialists fell vacant. Moreover, no appointment was made for which IIPR stopped sending chickpea seeds for trial to the centre. The chickpea seeds are now being sent for trial to the Khurda centre.
Meanwhile, the demand for GI tag to Nayagarh’s green gram has gained momentum. Observers said that it is absurd to talk about GI tag when the pulses research centre is lying abandoned and inching towards closure.
Similarly, the sugarcane research centre, which is credited with the invention of six varieties of sugarcane seeds, is also lying defunct and is on verge of closure. The cultivation of cash crops is declining in the district as farmers are turning away from sugarcane cultivation. The sugar mill is also defunct following theft of various equipment and machineries of the mill.
The opposition Congress is only demanding for establishment of a new sugar mill while the ruling party and opposition BJP are silent on the issue.
Congress leader Manoj Sahu said that pulses and sugarcane research centres are lying abandoned and only visible from their signboards. He said these two centres should be revived and be given new shape.
When contacted, Bijay Kumar Pradhan, chief district agriculture officer (CDAO) said the pulses research centre has stopped conducting research while the post of pulse research specialists are lying vacant. The farmlands of the centre are being used for cultivation of green grams and paddy.
However, he denied shifting of the centre as they are yet to receive any formal order from IIPR authorities. Similarly, the sugarcane research centre is still functional where the scientists of Odisha University of Agriculture Technology (OUAT) are conducting research on new varieties of sugarcane.