Farmland waterlogged as garbage clogs streams Monday, 24 August 2020 | AJIT PANDA | NUAPADA

 https://www.dailypioneer.com/2020/state-editions/farmland-waterlogged-as-garbage-clogs-streams.html

Streams and revulets running inside Khariar town and in the vicinity of the town carrying runoff during rain to Sundar river have been clogged due to weeds and plastic wastes, which has turned out to be a menace for the farmers of the area.

"Our farm lands are water logged due to blockade of the drainage system. I had completed paddy transplantion in my lands a couple of days ago, which will die due to the water logging," said Hitesh Bagartti whose lands lay on the bank of the stream. The stream carrying runoff from the forests in the north of the town and collecting household discharges releases water with wastes to the Udanti river near Nehna village. "It was a perennial stream once upon a time, but due to dumping of wastes, it looks like a drain," lamented an old man of the locality.

Farmers of Khariar town have drawn attention of the administration several times about plastic wastes being deposited in farm lands and streams through drains and demanded development of better drainage system. Pramila Mishra Khamari, a farmer of ward No.10 of the NAC had sat in demonstration in front of the NAC office a few days ago demanding cleaning of drainage system. She claimed that, her seven acres of best agricultural land is lying waste due to water logging and deposit of plastic wastes and garbage. The situation of most of the highly productive farm lands adjacent to Khariar town area, locally know as "Khari Jami" is similar. Unless the drainage system is restored and a proper sewerage management system is in place, there will be no relief, said sources