Paddy cultivations over 56,000 ha wither
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 28 2019: Paddy cultivated over 56,000 hectares have withered and are dying due to acute shortage of water while over 20,000 hectares have been left bare without any cultivation as the minimum volume of water necessary for paddy cultivation is not available at these places.

After the State Cabinet has recommended the Central Government to declare the State as drought-hit, the situation has been growing worse day by day.

The State's total area under paddy cultivation is 1.95 lakh hectares.

Paddy cultivations over 56,000 ha wither

These include 78,000 hectares in hill areas where jhum cultivation is practised.

Reports say that jhum cultivation has not been affected much by the inadequate rainfall.

However, paddy seeds and transplants sown and planted over 56,000 hectares in the valley in the hope of receiving adequate rainfall in the coming days have withered and dried up.

But no attempts to cultivate paddy were made in over 20,000 hectares as even the bare minimum volume of water necessary for paddy cultivation was not available at these places, sources informed.

Bishnupur and Imphal East are the two districts which are worst affected by inadequate rainfall.

To redeem whatever patches of paddy cultivations which can be redeemed, Agriculture Department has been working to provide water pump-sets to farmers.

Agriculture Department has procured 100 additional water pump-sets and they are enroute to Imphal.

The department has already identified the sources of water as well as the areas where water would be provided.

The situation is not so bad is some other areas.

There are places where water is available abundantly.

As such, paddy is being cultivated quite successfully at these places, said the sources.

Meanwhile, Agriculture Department has initiated due process of obtaining the Government's approval to an alternative plan under which paddy farmers would be enabled to cultivate alternative crops.

Under its alternative plan, the department has been working to enable farmers cultivate soya bean, maize, black gram etc.

Although the State Cabinet has already recommended the Central Government to declare the State as drought-affected State, it turns out that the State's Relief and Disaster Management Department should first make an official announcement to this effect.

As such, Agriculture Department has handed over relevant documents to the Relief and Disaster Management Department.

However, Relief and Disaster Management Department has not yet made any official announcement about the State being drought-affected.

Meanwhile, Indian Meteorological Department informed that the State may receive rainfall ranging from 56 mm to 100 mm today and tomorrow.