JAGATSINGHPUR: Standing crop in five blocks of the district have suffered heavy damage due to heavy rains in the last three days.
Paddy fields in Raghunathpur, Kujang, Tirtol, Erasama and Balikuda blocks remain submerged as rains continued to lash the district on Wednesday. The losses are set to mount if stagnant water is not drained out from the fields within a day or two. The affected blocks received an average of 83.13 mm rainfall on the day.
Paddy crops on 25,000 hectare of land in Raghunathpur, Jagatsinghpur, Tirtol and Erasama blocks has been submerged due to incessant rains in the last three days. It has become extremely difficult to release excess rainwater through Hansua river due to rampant growth of weed in the water body, said sources.
Sarada Kumar Biswal, a resident of Kujang, said farmers of the region are yet to get compensation for damage to their crops during heavy rains in the first week of this month. While crops which had survived the last downpour in the region are likely to be destroyed this time, it is high time the authorities took steps to compensate the farmers, he said.
Meanwhile, Deputy Director, Agriculture Ram Chandra Nayak the district agriculture officials have been asked to prepare a damage report and submit it within a couple of days.
Woman swept away by floodwaters
Malkangiri: A woman was swept away by floodwaters following heavy rains in Muduliguda village under Rasbeda panchayat limits of Khairput block on Tuesday. She was identified as 35-year-old Purusati Khilla. Villagers said she was carried away by rushing floodwaters that resulted due to the rains. Purusati was crossing a ditch between Oringi and Muduliguda in the afternoon to reach her paddy field when the mishap occured. Her body was later found near the ditch. Kudmulgumma police and Khairput Revenue Inspector Priyanka Pradhan rushed to the village. Villagers have urged the Collector to provide compensation to the woman’s family.