Oppn demand drought declaration in the state

As the issue was raised through an adjournment motion, Congress member S S Saluja pulled out a pack of dry paddy sapling from a bag to show the House how scanty rainfall had affected agricultural activities in the state.

Revenue Minister S N Patro, however, said that the government was aware of the situation caused by insufficient rains during monsoon.

"Government has been taking measures to help farmers facing crop loss due to insufficient rainfall," the minister said.

Though rainfall was normal during June, only 59.7 per cent of rain in July created problems for cultivation activities.

"The districts like Angul, Balesore, Bhadrak, Boudh, Jajpur, Kalahandi and Mayurbhanj received 50 per cent less rainfall in July," the minister informed the house.

Cultivation had been affected in 9.15 hectare, the minister said.

The low pressure during the first week of August too affected the state, he said, adding that though the rainfall was statisfactory it could not meet the requirement.

Summing up the rainfall situation during the monsoon, the minister said that 31 blocks in 15 districts had received less than 50 per cent rainfall. Therefore, the government apprehended loss of paddy cultivation during this kharif, he said.

Quoting an estimation done by National Agricultural Drought Assessment and Monitoring System (NADAMS) through Hyderabad-based National Remote Sensing Centre, the minister said that only two districts (Sundergarh and Sambalpur) have recorded satisfactory kharif cultivation while the situation was grave in 20 other districts.

NADAMS was keeping a watch on the situation in eight other districts, he said.

Meanwhile, Patro said the state government had already sent a preliminary report on the situation caused by insufficient rainfall to the Ministry of Agriculture and requested it to send a central expert team for a field visit.

Admitting that kharif cultivation had been badly hit, the minister said the state government was taking all possible measures to help the affected farmers.

Accusing the state government of failing to meet the needs of farmers, the Leader of opposition Bhupinder Singh of Congress demanded a white paper on the situation and the immediate declaration of drought.

BJP legislature Party leader K V Singhdeo said the state government needed to declare drought based on the estimation made by NADAMS.

"Farmers will get assistance under relief code if drought is declared in the state," he said.