TV
Although the water level of the Subarnarekha River has begun to recede, the destruction it caused in Odisha’s Bhograi block continues to haunt local farmers. Sudden flooding has ruined vast stretches of paddy crops, leaving farmers in a state of despair on Friday.
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In Bhograi block of Balasore district, the receding waters of the Subarnarekha River have offered little relief to farmers, as the aftermath of flooding has left behind a trail of devastation. Despite the drop in water level, the condition of the farmlands remains dire.
The sudden inflow of water into the fields led to severe crop damage in several villages. Over just four days of flooding, hundreds of acres of paddy crops remained submerged, leading to complete crop loss. This unexpected natural calamity has severely affected the kharif season for many, especially those who had taken agricultural loans to cultivate.
Local farmers, who had invested in the hope of a ‘golden harvest’, are now staring at the uncertainty. “Our backbone has been broken,” lamented a distressed farmer, emphasising the economic and emotional blow dealt by the disaster.
The situation has sparked growing concern among the farming community, which is now demanding State government compensation and immediate relief measures to sustain their livelihoods.
“I had cultivated vegetables (lady finger and pointed gourd) in 2-3 acres of farmland. The crop has completely destroyed due to repeated floods. How would my family survive if the government will not help us at the time of distress?” a local farmer lamented.
“Local farmers usually cultivate paddy, brinjal, oilseeds, and vegetables in this region. Floods that occurred consecutively five times in the Subarnarekha river left us nowhere. We are unable to decide what to do next,” another local farmer expressed.
