BARPETA, July 21 - The current wave of floods, which has remained critical even today, and inundated several areas within the district, has left surface connectivity in a shambles, while the agriculture sector too stands devastated.
While agriculture happens to be the mainstay of most of the people in the district, floods have virtually broken the backbone of the local farming community following the deluge. Agriculture, upon which a majority of the people of the district are dependent for their livelihood, happens to be the worst affected by the devastating floods.
Farmers of the district cultivate Bao paddy in the low-lying areas. Though cultivating summer paddy is rare these days, still some farmers adhere to the earlier practice. With the advent of monsoon rains, most of the farmers transplanted sali paddy, the main crop of the year.
Sali paddy is the only source of income for a majority of the farmers of the locality. Though a few have changed over to cultivation of Boro paddy as a substitute, however, it has not become so popular among most of the farmers.
Transplanting of Sali paddy was in its initial stage and less than half the farmland was cultivated when the present wave of floods lashed the district. A majority of the farmland was ready for transplantation and the farmers waited for the seedlings to grow. But the dreams of the farmers were shattered by the fury of the floods as they witnessed the rising water level from the low-lying areas to the highland, following which the paddy seedlings were washed away by the strong currents in front of their very eyes.
It was beyond the wildest imagination for many a farmer that their seedbeds could be submerged or washed away as the seedbeds are as a matter of routine prepared in highland areas, which is even higher than the residential plots, as a preventive measure against floods. The farmers are well aware that once the seedbeds are destroyed, they are destined to starvation.
Never before in the history of Barpeta has natural calamity taken such an extensively destructive turn. Moreover, never in living memory has flood waters afflicted an area for such a long time as this wave. Due to overflow of water, the paddy seedlings have begun to rot, thereby pushing the haggard farmers to the brink of survival.
The misfortune as mentioned above is not limited to a few areas, but has taken a widespread form in the district. As per data compiled by the District Disaster Management Authority, 1,52,076 agriculture families living in 802 villages of the district have been affected by this wave of floods. The total crop area submerged is estimated to be 16,377 hectares.
The highest number of affected families have been recorded under Mandia ADO Circle consisting parts of Baghbar Revenue Circle with 20,368 families followed by 14,806 families under Khudrakuchi ADO Circle consisting parts of Kalgachia Circle and 13,344 families under Keotkuchi ADO Circle consisting parts of Barpeta Revenue Circle.
ADO circles of Patacharkuchi, Pathshala, Bhabanipur, Itarvita, Barpetaroad, Belbari, Golibandha, Subha, Moinbari, Kalgachia, Sarbhog, Baghbar and Tarabari have also been substantially damaged.
Among the submerged cropland, jute tops with 3,156 hectares followed by Sali seedlings at 3,093 hectares and transplanted Sali at 2,672 hectares. Damage of 3,093 hectares of Sali seedlings is the biggest loss as the seedlings could have been used to cultivate huge tracts of ploughed land. In all, 1,026 hectares of summer paddy, 2,956 hectares of Bao paddy and 2,446 hectares of vegetable cultivation have been submerged and destroyed by the floods.
With the complete damage of Sali, Bao and summer paddy together with Sali seedlings and jute cultivation, the farmers in the district are obviously staring at disaster in the days ahead. Till date, they have not been able to ponder over their future plans as they have been compelled to spend their days over roads and embankments. Hoping against hope, they are waiting for a positive response from the government too.
Though the government supplies paddy seedlings to some extent, it does not reach the farmers on time. Similar is the case with supply of Rabi seeds. Either they are provided too late or the standard is not maintained. As a result, most of the welfare measures undertaken during the post-flood situation just becomes an official formality for the sake of data compilation, while the actual purpose of the entire effort is conveniently defeated.
Besides the above, inherent problems related to irrigation and pest attack haunt the farmers when they think of Rabi crop cultivation. Stray domestic cattle too pose a major problem for the cultivators.
It is hoped that the authorities concerned will soon formulate an effective policy to relieve the farming community of the district from the present flood-induced distress situation and implement the same before the crop season expires. If the government fails to understand the feelings and suffering of the farmers, then the latter will have to spend their days in starvation while the entire economy of the district will suffer a major setback from which it will be hard to recover.
