BARGARH : Continuing his attack on the Odisha Government for large scale damage of paddy crops due to pest attack and subsequent suicide of farmers, Union Minister of State for Agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Monday held the State squarely responsible for the crisis. While the State Government ignored the advisory on pest attack, use of wrong pesticide at many places aggravated the situation, he said.On his arrival here from neighbouring Sonepur on Monday, Shekhawat made field visit to villages of Satalma and Barangpali in Barpali and took stock of the ground realities. He also interacted with the local farmers and tried to ascertain their problems.
Later, the Union Minister accompanied by State BJP president Basanta Panda went to the house of Brunda Sahu at Kalapani and expressed his condolence over the death of the farmer who ended his life after setting part of his crop on fire protesting against indifference of the district administration to the pest problem. Brunda’s family members told the Minister that he had approached all and sundry but in vain.
The Union Minister instructed the Additional District Magistrate present at the spot to provide the family a house under Prime Minister Awas Yojana (PMAY) within two months. Shekhawat also visited Gaisama village in Bargarh block to know the extent of damage due to the pest attack.
Talking to mediapersons, Shekhawat said though scientists from Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) had issued advisory to the State Government on the pest attack as early as October 5, the State Government failed to take any step. Agriculture is a State subject and in the last two years, `2400 crore has been provided to Odisha under State Disaster Relief Fund of which only `178 core has been spent, he added.
The Minister said had the State Government acted promptly on the advisory, the pest attack could have been contained. Besides, use of wrong pesticide at many places, instead of containing the pest, helped it spread at alarming rate in the backdrop of adverse weather condition.Admitting that the farmers of the State were in dire strait after being hit by scanty rainfall and pest attack, Shekhawat said it was time for both the State and Union governments to sit down and tackle the issue rather than fight over it.On Sunday, the Minister visited affected farm land in Majhimunda, Mayurudan, Khaliapali, Lachhipur villages in Sonepur block, Babupali in Binka block, Rampur in Dunguripali block.