BARIPADA: Farmers across 26 blocks in the Mayurbhanj district are a worried lot. Though the southwest monsoon made a delayed onset and has covered most parts of the state by now, the northern district continues to reel under extreme rain scarcity.
The district has recorded 55 per cent rain deficit so far. Against normal rainfall of 264 mm between June 1 and 30, it has received just 119.5 mm. As a result, farm activities have been limited to below 10 per cent (pc) as against more than 20 pc to 30 pc during the corresponding period last year. Khageswar Tudu, a farmer of Nuagaon in Shamakhunta block, sounds hopeless as he has not started farming work yet.
In Bangiriposhi, Pritish Mohanta had started plantation around the same time last year but this time, he is yet to commence any activity. Farmers of the district are heavily dependent on rain rather than mega water projects but that has come as a double whammy.
The Subarnarekha irrigation project irrigates farmland in Sarashkana, Bangiriposhi, Kuliana, Baripada, Suliapada, Moroda, Rasgovindpur and parts of Jaleswar and Basta blocks in Balasore district. With the Jharkhand government not releasing a drop of water to canal systems for irrigation purposes this year, farmers are unable to start sowing activities.
The canals of Subarnarekha project remained dry after the winter season. Though in some patches water is available in the canal systems, it is inadequate to reach farmlands. A similar situation prevails in Deo irrigation project in the Karanjia subdivision.
Official sources in the Water Resources department said the canal systems across the district are drier and can carry water to the farmlands only after the district receives good rain. Rainfall monitoring system’s monthly report revealed that the district received 33.74 mm rain in April against normal rainfall of 52 mm.
In May, it received 73.74 mm against the normal of 101.2 mm. The June deficit has been over 55 pc. Chief district agriculture officer of Mayurbhanj Pradeep Kumar Sahu said the department is yet to prepare a detailed report on crop coverage for the kharif season. “The recent rains will help survive the saplings only for a couple of weeks,” he said.