Heavy rains submerged Aman paddy fields in Kalyanpur, prompting Agriculture Department inspections and crop damage assessments. Officials surveyed affected areas, assured farmers of fair evaluation, and highlighted compensation under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) to help protect cultivators from losses caused by waterlogging and flooding.
Continuous heavy rainfall over the past two days has inundated vast stretches of Aman paddy fields in Kalyanpur block, raising concerns among farmers over possible crop losses. Several agricultural areas have remained waterlogged, with paddy plants submerged for hours following the persistent downpour.
The worst-affected areas include Durgapur and West Dwarikapur Gram Panchayats, particularly fields under the Baganbazar agricultural sector. Farmers in these areas reported that standing water had covered large portions of their paddy fields, creating fears that prolonged waterlogging could damage the crops if the rainfall continues.
Taking note of the situation, officials from the Agriculture Department, along with members of the Crop Insurance team under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), conducted field inspections in the affected areas. The teams assessed the condition of the crops and interacted with farmers to collect information regarding the extent of waterlogging and possible damage.
Circle in-charge Sajal Das, Sector Officer Tanuj Debbarma and Circle in-charge Rabindra Kumar Banik visited several waterlogged fields and spoke with cultivators. Officials gathered details from farmers regarding the duration of crop submergence and the condition of the standing Aman paddy.
In Ghilatli, Sector Officer Ranbir Debbarma led another team to survey flood-affected agricultural plots under Durgapur Gram Panchayat. Farmers were informed that the crop damage would be assessed properly and that eligible losses would be covered through the PMFBY crop insurance scheme.
Agriculture Supervisor Debraj Barman said that although several paddy plants had remained submerged for hours, the overall damage observed during the initial inspection was not extensive. He assured farmers that eligible crop losses would receive compensation through crop insurance, providing financial support to cultivators facing weather-related losses.
Farmers, however, expressed concern over stagnant water in their fields. They said prolonged waterlogging could cause further deterioration of the paddy plants and urged the authorities to take immediate steps to improve drainage in the affected areas.
The cultivators also called for accurate and timely assessment of crop damage, saying that compensation under the crop insurance scheme would be important in helping them manage any financial losses resulting from the heavy rainfall.
Agriculture Department officials assured farmers that detailed information on crop damage was being collected from different affected locations. They said necessary measures would be taken after assessing the situation and determining the extent of losses.
Apart from Durgapur and Ghilatli, several agricultural areas in West Dwarikapur Gram Panchayat have also reported submerged fields. Agriculture Department teams and crop insurance representatives visited these locations to inspect the affected plots and brief farmers about the process for submitting compensation claims under PMFBY.
The inspections have provided some reassurance to cultivators, who welcomed the Agriculture Department’s intervention during the period of heavy rainfall. Farmers are now closely monitoring their fields as they remain concerned about further rainfall and rising water levels.
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The situation has once again highlighted the vulnerability of rural agriculture to sudden and prolonged weather events. With field-level assessments, crop insurance coverage and administrative support, affected farmers are hoping to minimise their losses and recover from any damage caused to the Aman paddy crop.
