Odisha: Farmers perform yagna for rains

Bolangir (Odisha): Concerned over the deficit rainfall, farmers of Titlagarh sub-division with locals of Ghantasagada, Sanamula villages have started invoking Lord Indra for rains through Yagna – reports said on Tuesday. The two-day Yagna, a special form of puja, will conclude late on Tuesday with Purnahuti or final ode to the god through burning of sacred fire with cow ghee.

“We are bearing the brunt of drought since last three years. This year in July initially some rains helped us sow paddy seeds but ever since it has been quite dry with very less rain. We also have a canal in the area but our villages do not have access to its water so seedlings have not sprouted raising concern of all,” Arjun Kumar Mishra, a Sanamula resident said.

Meanwhile, district agriculture department sources said if it rains within the next week, the situation could improve. “Barring Tureikela, four other blocks of the sub-division have received 40 to 60 per cent deficit rainfall till now. Even though we had completed rowing, processes like transplantation and intercultural operations (beusan) are still to be done. We hope if it rains  in the next week, we can start the process,” district agriculture officer Chittaranjan Sahu said. In fact, a drought-like situation looms large in four out of five blocks under Titlagarh sub-division of Bolangir district. Shortfall in rain has turned the farmlands parched.