Drought-like situation in Sundargarh

ROURKELA: With rain playing hide and seek, paddy farmers in the rain-fed Sundargarh district are oscillating between hope and despair.Incidentally, farmers are not able to abandon farm activities with sporadic and scattered showers reviving hopes after dry spells only to elude them later. The district has witnessed scattered rainfall in the last three days.  Reports said at least 11 of the 17 blocks are heading for a drought-like situation where farm operations have come to a standstill. The rest six blocks are witnessing marginal amount of broadcasting and transplantation activities. In view of the looming crisis, the Sundargarh District Collector Rupa Roshan Sahu has called a meeting of officials of Orissa Lift Irrigation Corporation and Wesco  on Friday. Sources said in the wake of two weak and erratic monsoons in a row, the natural water bodies have either dried up or their water holding capacity reduced drastically. With inadequate water at sources, the Minor Irrigation Projects (MIPs) along with the four Medium Irrigation Projects have gone  virtually defunct.The collector, however, asserted that barring the permanently defunct LI points, the administration will remove all hurdles to make the rest LI points functional to minimise the impact. While some LI points are lying defunct for technical faults, others are rendered dysfunctional owing to cut in power supply as the members of the pani panchayats had failed to pay energy bills.  The administration is keen to divert funds to settle power bills and bail out the farmers.  Notwithstanding, the agriculture officials opined heavy rainfall in the next one week could redeem the situation.