Reported by Manoj Kumar Ojha
Guwahati: In a striking reflection of growing climate stress across Assam’s riverine belt, stretches of highways, bypasses and rural roads in Dhubri district have turned into makeshift drying grounds for harvested paddy, as farmers struggle to cope with persistent waterlogging and erratic weather conditions.
The unusual sight long ribbons of golden paddy laid out across national highways and village roads has prompted both public concern and official intervention. On Tuesday morning, Dhubri police issued an advisory urging residents to avoid drying crops on road surfaces, citing serious risks to road safety and the potential for damage to both produce and vehicles.
The advisory followed multiple incidents of traffic disruption after sections of key roads were partially or fully occupied by spread-out paddy. While such practices are not entirely uncommon in flood-prone western Assam during peak harvest season, locals say the scale this year is unusually high.
For many farmers, however, the practice is driven less by choice and more by necessity. Extensive low-lying farmland in Dhubri remains waterlogged well after harvest due to continuous rainfall and unpredictable weather patterns, leaving traditional drying spaces unusable. Limited open land around households further compounds the problem, making it difficult to properly dry grains and increasing the risk of spoilage.
“Our fields stay wet for days after harvesting and we don’t have elevated or dry space nearby. If the paddy isn’t dried quickly, it gets damaged,” said a farmer, speaking on condition of anonymity. “We understand the problems for traffic, but we are left with no real alternative.”
Police personnel have been repeatedly clearing stretches of road to restore movement, only for farmers to return with fresh harvests, underscoring the persistence of the issue.
Officials acknowledge that enforcement alone is insufficient to address the situation. “Highways cannot be used as permanent drying grounds,” a senior police official said, adding that long-term solutions such as community drying platforms, mechanised drying facilities and government supported infrastructure are needed in vulnerable rural belts.
Experts note that the situation highlights a deeper, climate-linked agricultural distress increasingly shaping rural life in Assam’s flood-prone districts, where shrinking usable land and erratic rainfall are steadily disrupting traditional farming practices.