Government making assessment of crop Loss

BHUBANESWAR: With flood water receding in all most all the river systems, the state government on Friday started the process for assessment of crop loss due to the devastating flood.   Chief minister Naveen Patnaik who reviewed the flood situation directed the officials to complete assessment of crop loss as per the provisions of the Orissa Relief Code in all the affected districts within a time frame. He said assessment should be made jointly by the field level officials from revenue, agriculture and statistics departments. Officials should exercise due diligence while making assessment of crop loss of small and marginal farmers and actual cultivators, he said. It was decided that the extent of damage caused to agricultural, horticultural, sericulture crops, annual plantation and perennial crops due to the flood will be accurately calculated and thereafter displayed in villages.  Joint secretary level officers will be deployed in the affected blocks to monitor the house damage assessment. The officials will also coordinate, guide and supervise assessment of crop loss on a day to day basis. All payments to those affected with flood will have to be made through account payee cheques. The chief minister asked the agriculture department to take immediate steps to arrange and distribute quality seeds in sufficient quantity for alternate cropping.   The Chief Minister asked the officials to organise epidemic and pest control operations to prevent epidemic in the affected areas.  The State Government has requested the Centre to depute an inter-ministerial team to assess the damage to crop, roads and other infrastructure because of the flood. The team is likely to visit the State during the last week of this month.