BY TC News Desk
Agartala, 2nd April 2026: A farmer from Barabil ADC Village under Shilachhari Block has suffered massive crop losses after several hours of heavy rainfall earlier this week. Waterlogging in his fields destroyed nearly three kanis of watermelon and ridge gourd cultivation, leaving him in financial distress.
The affected farmer, Amiya Ranjan Chakma, cultivates crops on leased land to support his family. This season, he invested around Rs 75,000 from borrowed funds to grow watermelon and ridge gourd on three kanis and three gandas of land. Early harvests had shown promise, earning him about Rs 26,000 from initial sales. The remaining produce was planned for sale ahead of the upcoming Chaitra Parab festival.
However, on Tuesday afternoon, torrential rains inundated the farmland. With inadequate drainage, water from higher ground flowed into the fields, submerging crops under waist-deep water. The farmer’s hopes of repaying debts and celebrating the Biju festival with his family have now been shattered.
“I had taken loans from local moneylenders to manage this cultivation. My plan was to clear the debts after selling the harvest. But now, with everything destroyed, I don’t know how to recover,” Chakma said.
The distressed farmer has appealed to the Agriculture Department for urgent assistance to overcome the losses and sustain his livelihood.
