Looming drought: Farmers take to streets in Odisha's Ganjam

With a drought scare looming large due to scanty rainfall, hundreds of farmers on Friday staged a unique protest in front of the Digapahandi block office in the Ganjam district. With bunches of withered paddy plants in their hands, the farmers demonstrated in front of the block office. 

The irate farmers took out a rally which culminated at the Digapahandi block office. Carrying paddy plants in their hands, they staged a sit-in there. 

“We didn’t get sufficient amount of rain. Nor do we have irrigation facility. We demand compensation for our crop loss,” said a demonstrator.

The leaders of the district unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party came out in support of the farmers, and said as paddy fields across Ganjam district have developed cracks due to deficit rainfall, the districts should be declared drought-hit. They also demanded compensation for the affected farmers. 

Also read: Fear of drought-like situation looms large as deficit rainfall hits farmers hard in Mayurbhanj

“All the panchayats of Digapahandi block are affected by drought. We demand the government should declare the Digapahandi assembly constituency as a drought-hit area and provide compensation to the affected farmers,” said a BJP leader.