Raipur (Chhattisgarh) [India], October 29 : Untimely downpour as a result of cyclonic storm 'Arnab' has not just pushed normal life out of gear; it has added to the woes of farmers, who are planning to harvest their crops close to Diwali.
The impact of cyclonic storm 'Arnab', which originated from the Bay of Bengal, has been witnessed in Chhattisgarh as a result of rainfall and strong winds. Intermittent rainfall and strong winds across several areas of the state over the past two days have added to the woes of farmers.
The effects of storm 'Arnab' are being felt across Bastar, Raipur, as well as the Bilaspur and Surguja divisions. Farmers report that the rain has caused heavy damage to the paddy crops that were ripe and ready for harvest in the fields.
Due to the rain and gusty winds, the standing paddy crops have flattened in the fields. Waterlogging in many fields has left farmers anxious about crop damage.
The farmers stated that they had taken loans to arrange seeds, fertilisers, and other essential resources for farming. With the crop damage, farmers are now facing a severe crisis regarding how to repay their loans and manage household expenses.
"The two days of rain have caused massive damage to our crop. The paddy was fully ripe, and preparations for harvesting were underway, but the rain has ruined all our hard work. We took loans from the government for farming, and now the time has come to repay them. With the crop ruined, neither do we have grain left to eat nor can we see any way to repay our loans. We demand that the government assess the losses and provide compensation at the earliest," said farmer Tarachand Sahu.
According to farmer Piyush Sahu, the paddy in the field was ripe and ready for harvest, but bad weather completely destroyed the crop.
"Farmers have been waiting for a long time for paddy procurement, but now the crop damage threatens to ruin our family’s financial stability. We demand that the government conduct a survey immediately and provide financial assistance to the affected farmers," he said.
"Strong winds coupled with rain have flattened the standing paddy crop in the fields, and water has accumulated in the fields," said farmer Motilal Sahu.
He further said that farming involves significant investment. We took loans for seeds, fertilisers, and other necessities, but with the crop destroyed, we are now deeply worried about how to repay the debt.