Pulwama, Shopian farmers suffer as siphon damaged in 2014 floods awaits reconstruction
Farmers say irrigation woes threaten the agriculture sector, demand urgent redressal
Pulwama: A decade after the devastating 2014 floods, farmers across several villages in south Kashmir’s Pulwama and Shopian districts continue to suffer due to the failure of authorities to reconstruct a crucial siphon that was damaged during the deluge. Locals said that despite repeated pleas and widespread impact on irrigation, the structure remains unrepaired—crippling agricultural activity across dozens of hectares.
The siphon, which lies in Rakh village in Pulwama and was part of an irrigation canal system crossing rivulet Ranbiara, was fully damaged in the floods along with a nearby bridge.
While authorities constructed an alternate bridge for road connectivity, the siphon—vital for irrigating vast stretches of farmland— is yet to be constructed.
“Our fields are cracking in this heat while officials continue to ignore us,” said Ghulam Rasool, a farmer from Rakh village. “We haven’t been able to irrigate over paddy land properly because there’s less water.
Villages affected by the siphon’s absence include Rakh, Zahidbagh, Darbagh, Naina, Batpora and Watchi, spanning both Pulwama and Shopian districts.
Locals say that in the absence of the siphon, water is unable to reach the downstream fields, and much of the canal has now turned into a “garbage dumping site.”
Although a pump shed was set up as a temporary measure, farmers say it is unreliable due to frequent technical faults and irregular electricity supply.
“The pump functions erratically. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. Even when it does, the pressure is too low to irrigate the distant fields,” said Abdul Qayoom, a farmer from Batpora.
Another local, Mohammad Ayoub from Zahidbagh, added: “For ten years we’ve been requesting the Irrigation Department to fix the siphon. Every year they make excuses. We don’t want promises—we want action.”
They said that locals are already transplanted paddy but at a low water level in the rivulet and the absence of siphon people have been suffering.
Locals have once again appealed to higher authorities to intervene urgently before the dry spell deals an irreversible blow.
An official from the Irrigation & Flood Control Department, when contacted, said that a “mega project” to reconnect the two ends of the canal and rebuild the siphon was approved very years back but it wasn’t taken up later due to some issues.
“We understand the gravity of the situation. The project is in the pipeline, and work is expected to begin soon,” the official said.
