DHENKANAL: Farmers in Dhenkanal have rued lack of irrigation facilities for cultivating kharif crop even as the district has till now received inadequate rainfall.Sources said although sufficient water is available in Rengali canal, it is tough to irrigate crop land due to technical issues. According to reports, the district has received only 67 mm rainfall till now against the normal of 220 mm. Lack of adequate rainfall has hampered broadcasting work in all blocks of the district where the administration has set a target to cultivate paddy on 94,940 hectares of land during the kharif season. Only 20 per cent broadcasting work has been completed against the required 50 per cent till now.
Deputy Director of Agriculture Chhabindra Behera said inadequate rainfall is a cause of concern. He added that the district Collector had directed authorities to restore lift irrigation facility before the onset of monsoon. Behera said several farmers have complained that since Rengali canal water level is low, it is not useful for growing crops in the operational areas of the district. He said the Collector has stressed the need for use of lift irrigation points.