BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha government on Wednesday directed collectors to carry out a loss assessment as retreating cyclonic storm Michaung triggered rains across the districts fuelling fears of damage to kharif and horticulture crops.
Office of the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) said reports have been sought from districts to ascertain loss of life or property, if any, due to the rains. SRC Satyabrata Sahu instructed collectors to immediately assess damage to crops due to rains induced by the cyclonic storm.
The SRC asked for a field-level assessment through a joint inquiry by officials of the Revenue and Disaster Management and Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment departments and ascertain the areas where crop damage is 33 per cent and above.
Assistance will be provided to affected farmers as per norms from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), he said. Agricultural input subsidy as per norms of SDRF will be provided to those who have sustained crop loss of 33 per cent or more, a letter issued by the SRC to collectors stated.
In the last 24 hours ending at 8.30 am, Koraput received 67.2 mm of rain. Bhubaneswar and Cuttack recorded 21.4 mm and 15 mm rains respectively during the period.