Manzgam irrigation canal restored after 30 years, Jubilant locals thank government

August 13, 2025 by News Desk

Danishwar Hameed

After three decades of neglect, the irrigation canal in Manzgam area of Damhal Hanjipora belt in Kulgam has been rejuvenated, bringing relief and hope to dozens of villages.

This long-overdue restoration promises a reliable and steady water supply for agricultural lands, significantly enhancing irrigation and crop yields across the region.

Local residents, while applauding the Irrigation Department, were equally quick to credit the leadership of the Omar Abdullah-led government. “We had been pleading for desilting and canal restoration for years as the water table kept falling,” a local farmer Ghulam Nabi told The Kashmiriyat.

“Only this government heard our plight, now our farms and futures have a lifeline again,” another villager, Shakeela Bano said, adding, “This canal revival is more than infrastructure, it’s a promise fulfilled. Fields across dozens of nearby villages will flourish, thanks to this government’s vision.”

Agriculture in Kashmir has suffered greatly in recent years, mostly due to failing irrigation infrastructure and dwindling water supplies.

The valley faced a 70% rainfall deficit between December 2024 and February 2025, causing many springs and streams to dry up.

Across the region, nearly 25% of irrigation schemes failed this year, forcing farmers to abandon paddy cultivation in some areas.

The decline in water availability has also reduced the paddy cultivation area from about 163,000 hectares in 1996 to roughly 129,000 hectares by 2022–23, a drop of nearly 21%.