Sambalpur: Even as the Odisha government is holding meetings and training sessions to tackle pest menace, the state’s second pesticide testing lab is yet to be to be made operational which has now has triggered deep resentment among farmers in Sambalpur.
Sources said the new building of the lab is fully equipped with advanced equipments to examine the quality of pesticides. But due to staff shortage, these machines are lying unutilized.
At present, only one staff is engaged to look after these machines while the agriculture department does not have any proper information about commencement of the lab.
Sarat Kumar Parida, a chemist, “Instruments have been installed. We are trying to start its operation at the earliest. But for testing the samples are being sent to Bhubaneswar.”
Deputy Director Agriculture (DDA), Sambalpur, Pradosh Samal said the lab is expected to start its operation next year with the state government’s support.
On the other hand, the agriculture recently held a training session for agriculture scientists and zonal agriculture officers of various blocks in the district to chalk out strategies to control the pest menace.
The participants were imparted training on sensitizing farmers about the techniques to protect their crops from pest attack. They were asked to conduct regular field visits and instruct the farmers about the methodologies to use pesticides.
However, various farmer leaders have questioned the significance of such drives by the agriculture department at a time when the pests have already destroyed huge quantity of paddy crops in the district.
“When everything has already been destroyed, such drive by the concerned department is nothing but a mere eyewash to protect the image of the state government,” said Saroj, a farmer leader.
The Sambalpur DDA said, “We are carrying out awareness drives. Concerned department staff are distributing leaflets and individually sensitizing farmers for the last 15 days. Less affected farmers have already started applying the methodologies to control pest menace.”
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