Ganjam, Nov 12 (UDN): Still struggling to recover from the damage caused by Cyclone Arnab and subsequent floods, farmers in Odisha's Ganjam district have launched a race against time to harvest whatever remains of their paddy crops, amid the possibility of another spell of adverse weather.
The urgency has increased with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) indicating the likelihood of a fresh low-pressure area forming over the southeast Bay of Bengal on November 13. Fearing that further rainfall could inundate their fields, farmers are trying to move harvested paddy to safer locations before the weather deteriorates.
In Sanakhemundi block, farmers have adopted an unusual method to transport their produce. After cutting the paddy and tying it into bundles, they are placing the harvest on cots and carrying it out of the fields before loading it onto trucks.
Flood damage leaves fields buried under sand and mud
The latest weather development has intensified anxiety among farming communities already hit hard by the previous disaster. Several agricultural plots remain covered with sand and mud, while water continues to stagnate in low-lying areas, leaving large stretches of farmland damaged.
Farmers in Sanakhemundi are not alone in their efforts. Those in Digapahandi, Chikiti and Patrapur blocks are also attempting to salvage whatever crops have survived the earlier floods.
For many agricultural households, the remaining paddy represents a crucial source of income and food security. Another round of heavy rainfall could destroy the surviving crop and deepen the financial distress of families that have already suffered losses to their homes and belongings.
Farmers spend extra to protect whatever remains
The pressure to harvest quickly has forced farmers to spend additional money on cutting and transporting their produce, even as their resources have been depleted by the earlier damage.
Ujjawal Roul, a farmer from Sahaspur, told OTV that he was trying to harvest the little paddy left in his field rather than risk losing it to another spell of rain.
Another farmer said continuous heavy rainfall over four days had flooded homes and agricultural land, leaving families with little to salvage. Protecting the remaining harvest has therefore become an immediate priority.
Fresh weather threat adds to farmers' anxiety
The possibility of a new low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal has revived fears among residents who are still dealing with the aftermath of Cyclone Arnab and the floods.
Although the formation of a low-pressure area does not by itself confirm the severity of its impact on Ganjam, the prospect of further rainfall has prompted farmers to accelerate harvesting operations.
With much of their earlier investment already lost, farmers are now focused on securing the remaining crop before another bout of bad weather can reach the district. Their immediate concern is to prevent further losses and protect their livelihoods.