Kumar Rajiv Nayan
Ara: Standing crops on over 32,299 hectare of land worth about Rs 22 crore was completely destroyed due to the flood in rivers Ganga and Sone this year and ruined the future of the farmers of six blocks: Ara, Barahara, Shahpur, Bihia, Koelwar and Udwantnagar in Bhojpur district. Besides, over seven lakh population under these blocks were affected by the flood. Over three dozen persons lost their lives and about five dozen houses and a 100 year old Kali temple were also swept away in the flood.
District Agriculture Officer (DAO) Sanjay Nath Tiwari said that after the government announcement for grant to the affected farmers, the agriculture department started survey of loss of crops in Bhojpur district due to flood this year though letter from the government has so far been not received. But the agriculture department, on the basis of a letter from disaster management department in 2015, has estimated the loss caused due to the flood this year. He said the crops on 32,299.5 hectare of land were damaged in the flood.
The DAO said that a team has been formed under Ara Circle Officer to survey the actual loss of crops to the farmers due to the flood and added that the survey report will be submitted within a week. He said after the survey report and verification by the CO and the revenue employee, the compensation announced by the state government will be directly deposited into the bank accounts of the affected farmers.