
KENDRAPARA: A large number of farmers in Kendrapara and nearby areas are staring at a severe agrarian crisis due to the delay in release of water into major canals of the coastal district.
Every year, farmers receive irrigation water through Kendrapara, Pattamundai, Jamboo and Marsaghai canals in the first week of January to raise vegetables, green gram (moong) and other crops. But in a deviation from the annual practice this year, there is no sign of water in the canals despite it being mid-January.
Narahari Behera of Choti village said, “Many farmers lost ripe paddy crops due to the untimely rain last month. Now, the delay in supply of irrigation water in Pattamundai canal has put us in trouble.”
Farmers of the village said the dry canal bed has turned into a playground for the local youths.
Similarly, a vegetable grower of Benipur village Sarbeswar Rout said he has raised cauliflowers and tomatoes over two acre of land. Due to unavailability of canal water, he has hired a motor-pump to lift water from a nearby well to irrigate his crops. The administration should take steps to release water in the canal soon to mitigate the plight of farmers, he added.
While thousands of farmers are staring at a crisis due to unavailability of irrigation water, the administration attributed the delay to renovation of canals.
Executive engineer of Irrigation department, Kendrapara Umesh Sethi said major renovation works are underway in the canals of the district and nearby areas. Better maintenance of canals not only saves water, but also ensures adequate supply to the agricultural fields.
“We are repairing canal embankments and clearing the silt. If there is a breach in canal, water will not reach the tail-end. However, steps are being taken to release water soon after halting the renovation work temporarily,” Sethi added.
Many farmers claimed the renovation work is being carried out at a snail’s pace. “We are facing a tough time due to the slow pace of repair works. The authorities should deploy more workers to speed up renovation and repair of canals in order to complete the work soon and provide water for irrigation,” said Ranjan Sahoo, a farmer of Gobindapur village who depends on Pattamundai canal to irrigate his vegetable fields.