Emergency pump installation revives irrigation lifeline for Pampore farmers
Pulwama: In a significant development for the agricultural community of Pampore, authorities on the directions of MLA Hasnain Masoodi took swift action to address a severe irrigation crisis that had left paddy farmers in distress across several villages, including Lethpora, Shar Shali, Ladhoo, Khrunchoo, and Dusoo.
An official said that the station had recently become non-operational due to a drastic drop in water levels, rendering its original pumping units ineffective and leaving thousands of kanals of paddy land parched during a critical stage of cultivation.
He said that to counter the emergency, two high-capacity submersible pumps were procured from the Drainage Division of Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) and installed at the site.
“The emergency response was carried out in coordination with the Mechanical and Civil Irrigation Departments, whose engineers were praised for their tireless efforts in quickly executing the installation,” he added.
“This intervention has come as a lifeline for our farming community. Without irrigation, the entire season would have been a disaster,” said Masoodi who visited the station.
He added that while this emergency measure has temporarily resolved the crisis, long-term solutions are still needed to ensure sustainable irrigation in the region.
Farmers, many of whom had already transplanted paddy seedlings, were facing the threat of total crop failure. With the successful pump installation, irrigation has been restored just in time, bringing immense relief to the affected villages.
Locals expressed their heartfelt gratitude to Masoodi for his timely involvement, calling the move a “ray of hope” in a season that was otherwise becoming grim.
“We were on the verge of losing our crops. Thanks to Masoodi Sahib and the engineers, our fields are now receiving water,” said Ghulam Nabi, a farmer from Ladhoo.
