Odisha Agriculture Minister Damodar Rout today appealed with folded hands to farmers not to set their standing paddy crop afire because of a pest attack in certain districts of the state.
The minister's appeal came after the state government received reports of farmers setting ablaze their paddy fields hit by the brown planthopper pest attack.
Unable to control the problem, many farmers have burnt down their standing crops in about 10 districts of the state.
"The paddy crop is regarded as goddess Laxmi in our society since time immemorial. I am requesting the farmers, hit by the pest attack, with folded hands not to set fire to their standing paddy crops," Rout told mediapersons.
He asserted that the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) government in the state was with the farmers.
"Stringent action will be taken against those selling fake pesticides in the market," Rout said, adding that compensation would also be provided to the distressed farmers.
The farmers have alleged that fake pesticides are being sold in the market.
The state government had yesterday asked the collectors of Bargarh, Bolangir, Ganjam, Kalahandi, Koraput, Nuapada, Sambalpur and Sonepur districts to submit a report on the quantum of crop loss due to the pest attack within two days.
The government has also launched a toll-free phone number, 1800-180-1551, to respond to the farmers seeking help in tackling the pest problem.
Over the last three days, the farmers of Bargarh, Jharsuguda, Nuapada, Ganjam, Sambalpur, Rayagada districts set their standing paddy crops on fire as they could not control the pest attack.
A high population of planthoppers causes the leaves to initially turn orange or yellow, before becoming brown and dry. This is a condition called hopperburn which eventually kills the plant.
On Wednesday, a farmer in Bargarh district had allegedly committed suicide after setting his pest-affected paddy crops afire. The Odisha Human Rights Commission has sought a report from the district collector and secretaries of the agriculture and revenue departments on the incident.
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