SAMBALPUR: There seems to be no end to their trouble. Ravaged by drought, untimely rain and flood, the farmers now are worried over reports of damage to paddy saplings pouring in from Hirakud Dam Command Area.
Sources said the sapling are gradually changing colour and dying. This was first noticed on January 17. Similar cases have come to light in Chiplima, Themra, Kududapali and Hirakud of Sambalpur district besides Attabira and Bheden block of Bargarh district.
Clueless, the farmers of Bargarh, Sambalpur and Sonepur districts have stopped transplantation of saplings.
Sridhar of Kudapali village and Banabihari Panda of Satijor village, both in Chiplima area, who are cultivating paddy over 30 and 20 acres respectively, said the saplings died within 24 hours of transplantation.
Plant Protection Officer Arun Kumar Behera said change in climate since the beginning of January coupled with the numbing cold wave and hailstorm could be a reason.
He recommended that the farmers should treat their fields with potash and spray cow dung water to improve the situation.