
BERHAMPUR: Ganjam farmers, reeling under December’s unseasonal rain damage to kharif crops, now face an irrigation crisis as they prepare for rabi crop.
Major water bodies including Rushikulya, Badanadi, Bahuda and Ghodahada rivers, along with reservoirs at Bhanjanagar, Ghodahada and Baghalati have nearly dried up following last year’s water release from reservoirs and insufficient rainfall, posing a massive challenge for the administration.
The irrigation challenge is complicated by a power supply crisis affecting Lift Irrigation (LI) points. Simanchal Nahak, secretary of Rushikulya Rayat Mahasabha, claimed that TPSODL has disconnected power to approximately 500 LI points due to unpaid dues. The district has 2,000 community and 3,300 individual LI points, with outstanding power charges exceeding Rs 6 crore.
Lift irrigation officials clarified that community LI points have been managed by Pani Panchayats for two decades, making them responsible for power charges and maintenance. While TPSODL planned to disconnect power supply to defaulters during the kharif season, the collector’s intervention prevented this action.
To address these challenges, district officials recently met with TPSODL authorities, who announced installment facilities for clearing arrears. Additionally, TPSODL plans to install smart meters at LI points, enabling automatic disconnection for non-payment.
The agriculture office, meanwhile, is prioritising non-paddy cash crops for the upcoming rabi season.
Collector Dibyajyoti Parida said the administration hoped for a bumper paddy crop in kharif, but the rains caused heavy damage.
“In spite of the crop damage, we are hopeful to achieve our target of paddy procurement which continues in the district. Distribution of government assistance and insurance compensation has already started and we hope the task would be completed soon,” said Parida.
The administration has prepared subsidised rabi kits containing non-paddy crop seeds and pesticides, offering them to farmers at Rs 1,000 against their actual value of Rs 10,000.