DEOGARH: With no respite from the prolonged dry spell, dejected farmers of the district have released their livestock on farmlands. Farmers of Suguda, Barchapal and Cheplipali in Tileibani block, villages of Kantapali and Dantaribahal in Barkote block have released their livestock on their lands with no sign of any rain.Reports of large-scale damage to paddy saplings is being received from across the district.Deogarh has received 42 per cent less rainfall this year and farmers are likely to suffer from drought for the third time in a row. The normal rainfall of Deogarh district in June is 242.4 mm, but it has received only 143.6 mm this year. Similarly, the normal rainfall for July is 447.7 mm and it has received just 249.4.Lack of rainfall has brought agricultural activities to a standstill as broadcasting over 25,125 hectares of land had to be suspended in the absence of water. The transplanted paddy crops in over 9,378 hectares of land have also been damaged. Farmlands have developed wide cracks. Deputy Director of Agriculture Basanta Sar said insufficient rainfall has hit agricultural activities and the farmers hard. “The situation is worsening with each passing day. If it rains heavily in the next few days, there is some chance of the crops surviving,” he said.Deogarh MLA Sanjeeb Pradhan has apprised the Revenue and Agriculture ministers of the grim situation. He has urged them to provide early relief to the farmers to cope with the bad situation.
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