Berhampur, Nov 9: Even though the Odisha government claims to have created irrigation facilities across the State, dying of paddy plants due to lack of water in Ganjam district, the home turf of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, has worried farmers. 

According to the information, a drought-like situation has occurred in most parts of the district. Thousands of acres of land under seven dams have dried and paddy crops have been damaged due to lack of water.  Now, cows are grazing on the land. 

"Drought has hit farmers in Chief Minister's own district. It has happened because the State Government has failed to create irrigation facilities. Seven dams have dried up. As a result, paddy plants have been damaged and the agricultural lands have turned into grazing fields," said many farmers. 

Ganjam has the Rushikulya Mega Irrigation project and nine other medium irrigation projects, 977 micro irrigation projects, and 708 lift irrigation points run by the government. While 61 percent of agricultural land gets water during the Khariff season, only 11 percent gets irrigation water during the Rabi season. 

"Naveen Patnaik government makes false claims only. It is very disappointing that only 11 percent of the land is irrigated during Rabi season in the entire Ganjam district," said Manoranjan Dian Samantray, a leader of the BJP. 

In 2005-06, the BJD government had promised to create irrigation facilities for 35 of cultivable lands in five years. Though 18 years have passed, 35 percent irrigation has not been created in 69 blocks, rued Samantray.  

He wanted to know if Minister Tukuni Sahu had ever talked to farmers regarding irrigation. 

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