20 districts affected by drought like situation

Guwahati, Aug 19: Parts of Asom's 20 districts are experiencing a drought-like situation which has affected the standing Sali plantation owing to deficit rainfall, indicating a famine in the near future.

The deficit was worked out to about 32 per cent since mid-July.

About 4.95 lakh hectares of Sali plantation in the plains have been affected in the state. The area has eight lakh farming families.

Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has assessed the situation with all concerned departments for mitigation of the plight of the poor farmers, official sources here said.

The Revenue department has sanctioned Rs 148 lakhs to the deputy commissioners of the 20 affected districts for procurement of diesel where pumps are available for irrigating fields, the sources said.

Considering the seriousness of the matter the chief minister has directed the concerned departments to prepare contingency plans for mitigating the present situation by taking up food for work programme.

He asked the Agriculture Department to prepare for Rabi crop for farmers who could not transplant their Sali seedlings.

Mr Gogoi has directed the irrigation department to be ready to meet the drought-like situation by activating all available shallow wells and lift pumps in the affected districts.

He has sent an urgent message to the Union Agriculture minister requesting him to dispatch a central team to assess the damage.

Under a strategy worked out in the meeting here by the chief minister with the agriculture minister, revenue minister and other high officials, it was decided to distribute black grams and sesame seeds to the affected farmers immediately as these crops can grow without water.

Meanwhile, the All Asom Students Union has decided to agitate from August 21 for the government's 'failure' to provide relief to the drought affected farmers.

The entire North Eastern region has been reeling under severe heat wave like conditions for more than a week due to deficit monsoon rainfall.

People were forced to remain indoors due to the severe heat which has taken ten lives in Asom so far.

UNI