Shah Basit
The lack of irrigation facilities is severely impacting the paddy crop in Arhama village, located in the Ganderbal district of central Kashmir.
Farmers in the area said that the paddy saplings planted on hundreds of kanals of land are drying up due to defunct lift irrigation schemes and pumps, affecting thousands of families. The residents of Arhama and nearby villages are unable to irrigate their fields due to a shortage of water from the Baba canal.
Speaking to The Kashmiriyat the residents said that the water level in the Baba canal decreased significantly after they planted the paddy saplings weeks ago. They alleged that the concerned department is not serious about resolving the issue.
“The situation is leading towards drought and we might face starvation. The problem is severely impacting them as agriculture is their only source of income and livelihood,” they emphasized.
One resident noted, “We are unable to grow other crops in our fields as we are completely dependent on agriculture, especially rice. The authorities must give first importance to this issue to save our livelihood and prevent starvation.”
Residents also mentioned that the Baba canal and other nearby canals mostly remain dry during the peak season.
Another resident added, “We faced the same situation last year but the Irrigation department did not come to our rescue. These fields must be full of water at this time of the year, but they are drying.”
Farmers from the affected areas of the Baba canal have now appealed to LG Manoj Sinha and officials of the irrigation department for urgent intervention to irrigate the paddy fields and alleviate their suffering.