M F AHMAD
Daltonganj, Aug 1: A manual for drought management is now being browsed in Palamu as the spectre of drought looms large.
Sporadic rains are around but farmers hardly feel obliged to the rains as they can neither go for sowing paddy seeds nor can they do transplantation of the saplings.
Mohan Lal, a farmer, said the time is over now for paddy. He angrily said agricultural babus ask for an alternate crop at this time, little understanding the psyche of the farmers who will sit and sulk for want of paddy cultivation but will not shift to other alternate crop.
This farmer said, “Our paddy is our Biryani and Biryani can’t be replaced by dried grains that one carries in hand and peck it like a parrot.”
Palamu DC Anjaneyulu Dodde, on the other hand said, “We are keeping close eyes on the situation in the district. Our Task Force is ready to deal with the situation.”
The state government only this Sunday transferred many of its agricultural officers from one district to another at a time like this when a new incumbent will have to strain himself to understand the agronomics of the new district.
“Surface water management is to be accorded high priority here,” outlined the DC saying, “For rainwater management, we will go all out to refresh and revive and renovate earthen water bodies now silted or otherwise.”
There is a Government of India’s manual for drought management 2016 which is a very exhaustive compendium on drought, types of drought and measures to fight it.
Palamu’s drought is distinct and different. It is different from what one used to hear of Kalahandi in Orissa.
Here in Palamu, drought means an acute scarcity of food and with it, the buying power of the poor further goes down.
In the past, the district administration used to push in 2 to 3 earthen schemes at every panchayat to provide employment and wages to the unskilled labourers. The schemes used to be well, pond, weir and embankment around the canal.
Sources said the DC Palamu should seek a report from the waterways about the status of its canals across the district as there are reports dry canals have become a flattened field in a block like Paton. Encroachment of waterways is another malaise in Palamu.
