Kendrapada: Thousands of farmers in Kendrapada district and surrounding areas are grappling with a severe water crisis as irrigation authorities failed to release water into major canals this Jan, breaking from the annual practice critical to winter crop cultivation. Kendrapada irrigation department has attributed the delay to ongoing renovation works.
“We are repairing canal embankments and clearing silts to ensure better water distribution. Water release will resume once we temporarily halt the renovation,” said executive engineer Umesh Sethi.
The delay has impacted four key canals—Kendrapada, Pattamundai, Jamboo, and Marsaghai—which typically receive water in the first week of Jan to support the growth of vegetables, green grams (mung), and other crops.
“We lost our ripe paddy in last month’s untimely rain. The non-supply of water in Pattamundai canal has further worsened our situation,” said Narahari Behera, a farmer from Choti village. He added that local youth are now playing cricket on the dry canal bed.
Sarbeswar Rout, a vegetable grower from Benipur village, has resorted to hiring motor pumps to irrigate his two-acre cauliflower and tomato farm. “I am spending extra money to draw water from nearby wells,” said Rout, highlighting the financial burden on farmers.
Farmers’ organisations have criticised the slow pace of repairs. “Livestock are facing acute water scarcity. This crisis could have been avoided if maintenance work had been completed on time,” said Umesh Chandra Singh, president of Krusak Sabha.