Farmers of Sambalpur are worried about saving their crops from withering. For, there has been deficit rainfall in the district this year. Although the farmers were looking forward to heavy rain in the last leg of monsoon upto September 20, they have been frustrated by monsoon’s lack of progress.
According to reports, the district has received 82.42 mm of rainfall till date against normal rainfall of 224.7 mm. While Dhankauda block is the worst affected having received a mere 20 mm of rainfall till date, Maneswar block registered 21 mm followed by Naktideul with 41 mm, Jamankira 59.60 mm, Kuchinda 59.90 mm, Bamra 62.20 mm, Rairakhol 75 mm and Jujumura 125 mm while Rengali block received maximum rainfall of 144 mm.
The district had received 194.59 mm of rain in June compared to normal rainfall of 221 mm.
But, with 501.93 mm of rain being recorded in July against normal rainfall of 429.5 mm, the farmers were happy.
However, the happiness seemed to be short-lived as the district received only 259.46 mm rain against normal rainfall of 442.4 mm in August.However, Deputy Director of Agriculture, Sambalpur, Ashok Mohanty said the situation is under control and there has been no report of paddy plants dying due to dearth of water.
He hoped that heavy rainfall in the remaining days of the month could help improve the situation.