Kathmandu. The installation of paddy beds in Banke has been delayed due to lack of adequate rainfall even after the end of May. Lalwa Mahut, a farmer of Suiyagaun in Nepalgunj-19, said that most of the farmers in the district have not been able to keep their paddy beds.

According to him, farmers are compelled to look towards sky to plant paddy in lack of irrigation. “The farmers are facing hardships due to lack of irrigation, seeds and fertiliser required for paddy cultivation,” he said.

In Banke, the vehicles installed for household purposes have been installed in areas lacking irrigation facilities and in some areas, seed beds have been installed using drinking water taps.

Mohammad Raza Rai, chairperson of Ward No. 1 of Janaki Rural Municipality, said that farmers have not been able to cultivate paddy in Saigaun and Belbhar areas due to lack of sufficient rainfall.

Information Officer at Agriculture Knowledge Centre, Banke, Sujita Sharma, said that only 40 per cent farmers in the district have been able to cultivate paddy seeds through alternative measures. Paddy is cultivated in around 36,500 hectares of land in the district.

Although the canal of Sikta Irrigation Project provides irrigation to some wards of Kohalpur Municipality, Baijanath Rural Municipality and Rapti Sonari Rural Municipality, most of the farmers are compelled to depend on rain water.

Information Officer of Sikta Irrigation Project Manoj Shah said water has been released in both the eastern and western canals in view of the time when paddy seeds are being sown.

According to him, the project has irrigated 42,766 hectares of land in the district.