JAGATSINGHPUR: Even as the district has received inadequate rainfall this monsoon, defunct lift irrigation points and canals have added to the woes of farmers.
Paddy saplings planted on thousands of hectares of land in the district have not yet germinated owing to scanty rainfall.
The district had received only 60 per cent of the normal average rainfall for the month of June. While the normal average is 202.03 mm, only 141.39 mm was received last month.
In the month of July, only 132 mm rainfall has been received against the normal average of 277.03 mm.
The Agriculture department has set a target to undertake paddy cultivation on 86,220 hectares of land this kharif season.
Around 6,208 quintal paddy seeds and 941 quintal Dhanicha seeds were supplied to the farmers. Till date, paddy saplings have been planted on 17,322 hectares of land.
Official sources said 22,825 hectares of land across the district is irrigated by Taladanda canal, 34,083 hectares by Machgaon canal, 7,000 hectares by lift irrigation points, 11,180 hectares by shallow tube wells, 2,550 hectares by Mahanadi barrage and 1,920 hectares by other sources.
While 75,386 hectares of land have been irrigated till now, 10,834 hectares are yet to get watered due to inadequate rainfall.
As per records, out of 623 lift irrigation points, only 387 are functional in the district. Similarly, out of 25,000 shallow tube wells, only 19,861 are functional.
The Irrigation department had planned to supply water through canals to farmlands by the end of June. However, it has been delayed as the canals are yet to be cleaned.
Earlier, an FIR was lodged against junior engineer of Rural Development department Sushil Kumar Rout by one Dalapati Mandal in Biridi police station over unauthorised excavation on Machgaon canal jeopardising release of water for irrigation purpose.
However, the excavations, which were taken up at two locations on the canal embankment have not yet been stopped and this has resulted in delay in supplying water to the farmlands.
Deputy Director, Agriculture Ram Chandra Nayak said the present situation is not encouraging due to scanty rainfall in several areas.
He said if it does not rain in the next few days, the situation may turn alarming.
Nayak said the department has prepared a contingency plan for farmers if the district does not receive adequate rainfall in the coming days.