Odisha govt asks farmers to harvest paddy as met predicts rain

Bhubaneswar: Special Relief Commissioner Bishnupada Sethi on Sunday asked the district collectors to remain alert over possible rain from December 7 due to low pressure over the Bay of Bengal.

In a letter, Sethi advised the farmers to shift their harvested paddy to safe places and keep it properly stacked under suitable cover to avoid any damage or loss due to rain.

He also asked to take steps to harvest the paddy before the rain, where paddy crops are ready to harvest.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted a well-marked low pressure is likely to intensify into cyclone or deep depression on December 7 in the East of Machlipatnam in West Central Bay of Bengal.

Under its impact, low-intensity rainfall in Koraput, Malkangiri, Gajapati and Ganjam likely to occur. But rainfall with higher intensity in coastal and adjoining interior districts is likely to occur on 8-9t December.