Soaring temperatures: Paddy fields dry up as water for irrigation purposes recedes
Pulwama: Paddy sapling on hundreds of canals of land are drying up as the soaring temperatures have meant that water levels have receded and no water is available for irrigation purposes in Gulzarpora, Renzipora and its adjacent areas in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
Locals said that the paddy sapling that were sown last month have started to dry up as there are no facilities available for irrigating the land under paddy cultivation.
They said that hundreds of canals are lying barren from last few years as authorities have failed to provide water required for irrigation purposes.
“From the last four years we are unable to sow anything as there are no irrigation facilities available so that we can water our fields and seek a harvest,” Riyaz Ahmad, a local resident said.
“From the last four years we have made repeated requests to concerned authorities but to no avail,” he added.
Locals said that they were getting water for irrigation purposes through Tahab canal but for the past few years the water passing through this canal is diverted to Koil village and several other villagers have been left on the mercy of God.
“Why can’t the government start a lift irrigation scheme in the area so as to mitigate our problems and the villagers here are also able to utilize their land,” Mohammad Hafiz, another local demanded.
The locals requested the concerned authorities to look into their grievance and arrangements are made to start a lift irrigation scheme for the entire area or provide any other alternative arrangements for irrigation purposes.
Executive Engineer Irrigation Division Pulwama, Vimal Razdan, when contacted said that the area is facing the problem since many years now.
“A canal is passing through the area and this entire area was getting water for irrigation purposes. But the can is in a very bad condition and no water was reaching to the villages falling on the tail end,” he said.
He said that a 2 KM long canal is being constructed right now and hopefully the canal will see completion by the year end.
“Last year due to disturbance after Aug 05 and early snowfall no work was done on the canal,” he said, adding that farmers have to face the burnt this year but from next year water will be available for them and that too in abundance.
