BALASORE/BARIPADA: Strong resentment is brewing among farmers of the flood-hit areas of Mayurbhanj and Balasore districts, as the district administration has not come forward to either assess their damage or provide assistance to them.
Large areas of standing vegetable crops have been devastated by the recent floods with villages like Dahamunda, Aruaburtri, Uluda, Raghu Chowk and Kalikapur, Kulha and Kumbhirgadi in Bhograi, and Ikidpal, Rashalpur, Kulhachada, Ikidpal and Routrapur in Baliapal being the worst-hit. Baliapal and Bhograi blocks meet most of the vegetable needs of the district and even supply outside.
Farmers of Kumbhirgadi like Jhardeswar Sahoo, Rabindra Sahoo, Gopinath Sahoo said,” Not a single officer has visited the village to review the situation despite the knowledge that vegetable farming is our only source of income. Most of our crops have been damaged.”
Similarly, residents of Bishnupur panchayat alleged that the Horticulture department has looked the other way while floods have damaged their vegetable crops.
“I have taken Rs 20,000 loan from a private cooperative society with 8 per cent interest per month. I invested the amount in vegetable farming instead of paddy in the hope of getting profits. But the floods dashed my hopes. The Horticulture department must compensate for our losses,” said Sudam Parida, a vegetable farmer of Ikidpal village.
Horticulture department officials said they are inquiring about crop damage in flood-affected areas and the exact vegetable damage report will be made available soon.
Deputy director Horticulture Sishir Acharya said, "Around 45 per cent vegetable farms have been affected due to flood. The department has conducted inquiry on vegetable damage across 26 blocks in Mayurbhanj district."