NAWALPARASI: Continuous rainfall over the past few days has severely damaged paddy crops in Palhinandan and Sarawal of Bardaghat Susta West, Nawalparasi.
According to Chulhai Prasad Yadav, Ward Member of Palhinandan-1, more than 700 bighas of paddy fields in the areas of Shankarpur (Sarawal) and Palhinandan have been submerged. He said that this year’s paddy crop was nearing harvest when floods from the Dhanewa and Jharahi rivers swept through the fields, destroying the yield.
“Every year, farmers in Palhinandan and Sarawal plant paddy with high hopes,” said Yadav. “This time, the crops had already started ripening. We were preparing for harvest when the floods came and destroyed everything. The paddy is now rotting in the fields.”
Farmers in these regions also cultivate wheat, mustard, lentils, and sugarcane for the Chaite crop, but paddy remains the main seasonal harvest.
Ward Chairman of Sarawal-7, Heyat Khan Dhuniya, confirmed that paddy crops planted on over 700 bighas of land in Sarawal alone have been submerged by floodwaters.
Local farmer Ghanshyama Chaudhary of Madhavaliya, Sarawal-6, reported that the crop on his 1.5 bighas of land has been completely destroyed, causing an estimated loss of Rs. 200,000.
Dr. Rabindra Nath Chaubey, Chief of the Nawalparasi Agricultural Knowledge Center, said that paddy crops planted on a total of 275 hectares in Sarawal Rural Municipality and Palhinandan have been submerged. He confirmed that areas most affected include Shankarpur of Palhinandan-1 and Wards 4, 5, 6, and 7 of Sarawal.
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