ROURKELA: Apprehending another bad crop season due to prolonged dry spell, farmers of Sundargarh district are spending sleepless nights.Owing to scanty and erratic rainfall in July, the second phase of paddy farm activities have come to a grinding halt.In a report to the State Government, the district administration said that the situation might turn ‘alarming’ if there is no rainfall in the next three to four days.Farmers who had hurriedly sown seeds after a good rainfall in June seem to be the worst hit as the paddy crops now need adequate moisture to survive. Official sources said paddy cultivation has been taken up over 2.13 lakh hectares in Sundargarh. Against the normal rainfall of 386.4 mm for July the district recorded a deficit of 23 per cent. Paddy broadcasting and transplanting works have been held up due to scanty rainfall.While sporadic paddy farm activities are witnessed on low-land, farming activities are missing on upland and medium-land which constitute 50 per cent and 30 per cent of the area respectively. District administration has reported to the State Government that 11 of the 17 blocks are at a risk. Situation is worse in Bisra, Lahunipara, Gurundia and Koida blocks as they have received less than 200 mm rainfall. Sources said paddy plants at Kinjirma, Bijaberna, Amasdegi, Mahuljor, Ghantibod and Khapurikhaman villages of Kinjirma gram panchayat in Sundargarh Sadar block along with several villages in Lathikata block are showing signs of sprouting-blight. Deputy Director of Agriculture Narendra Behera said erratic rainfall has made the situation worse in major parts of the district. He said a good rainfall in the next three days can be the only remedy.
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