JENDRAPARA/JAJPUR: Heavy unseasonal rains lashed Kendrapara and Jajpur in the last 24 hours causing crop damage in several parts of the two districts.
In the coastal Kendrapara, complaints of crop damage due to the untimely rain were received from many villages in Aul, Mahakalapada, Rajnagar, Marsaghai, Rajkanika and Garadpur blocks. The farmers cursed the bad weather for damaging their green gram and vegetable crops.
Prahallad Jena, a 40-year-old farmer of Bharatpur village, claimed the torrential rain coupled with gusty wind has damaged green gram (mung) and vegetable crops over vast tracts of land. “Had there been no rain during the harvesting season, we would be busy harvesting mung crops within a week. But now, we are groping in the dark.”
Farmer leader and president of the district unit of Krushak Sabha Umesh Chandra Singh said the rains have dashed the hopes of a large number of farmers who were expecting bumper mung crops.
Chief district agriculture officer (CDAO) of Kendrapara Manoj Chand said department officials have been asked to assess crop damage in every block. Adequate compensation will be provided to the affected farmers after getting the crop damage reports.
Sources said the untimely rains also caused water-logging in low-lying areas of the district. The worst-hit was the Rehabilitation colony at Bagapatia which has a population of around 3,000.
Similarly in Jajpur, normal life was hit and crops were damaged after Nor’wester swept through different parts of the district on Tuesday night.
Thunderstorm accompanied by rain uprooted huge trees and electricity poles in Bari, Dharmasala, Badachana, Rasulpur, Dasarathpur, Binjharpur, Dangadi, Sukinda and Korei. Power supply was also disrupted in some areas.
Sources said incessant rains for the last two days have led to crop damage in many areas. Cultivation of green gram, groundnut and vegetables has been affected in Rasulpur, Bari, Badachana, Jajpur and Dharmasala.
