Una irrigation plans hit for want of staff, funds

Rajesh Sharma

Una, December 10

Shortage of field staff, inadequate funds to meet the operational, maintenance cost of pump houses and rising thefts at the water supply schemes have left the Irrigation and Public Health Department worried. There are no watchmen either. The department claims to have provided irrigation facilities to about 40 per cent of the 50,000-hectare agriculture land, through a network of deep bore tubewells. However, continued reduction of manpower and financial support to these lift irrigation schemes for various parts of the district are a cause of concern for farmers as well as the department.

“There are a total of 624 deep bore tubewells in Una district for lifting ground water. Of these, 207 are used for supplying drinking water, while the remaining 417 are used for irrigation,” Dr SK Sharma, Superintending Engineer, Una IPH circle, said. Of the 1,736 sanctioned strength of filed staff needed for the functioning of schemes, only 977 persons are in place, while the whopping 759 posts are lying vacant.

The Superintending Engineer revealed that 65 posts out of the total 490 pump operators, 65 out of 82 fitters, 15 out of 19 electricians, five out of seven beldars, 149 out of 181 helpers and 215 out of 291 watchmen were yet to be filled. While watchmen were deployed to keep vigil at the drinking water schemes at night, almost all irrigation schemes were unprotected and an easy target for thieves who cut submerged copper cables and loose pipes. He said about 30 such thefts were reported to the police every year by the department.

While on paper, about 40 per cent cultivated land is irrigated, most irrigation schemes have been shut due to vacant posts of operator. In some villages, locals have volunteered to take possession of the pump house keys from the department and youths run the machinery.

To solve the staff shortage problem, the department has begun outsourcing work for running and maintaining pump houses. Twenty such schemes have already been handed over to private contractors. The Superintending Engineer, however, said even for the outsourced schemes, the department had to bear the expenditure of maintenance, operation and that as on date, the committed liability of the department for such outsourced schemes was Rs 6 crore per year, which would keep swelling as more and more schemes were being outsourced.

He said the annual action plan for operation and maintenance cost of the pump houses and distribution network in the Una IPH circle was about Rs 11.28 crore, but this year’s allocation was only Rs 5.75 crore. Consequently, there was shortage of funds for preventive maintenance.

30 thefts every year 

• The posts of 65 out of the total 490 pump operators, 65 out of 82 fitters, 15 out of 19 electricians, five out of seven beldars, 149 out of 181 helpers and 215 out of 291 watchmen are yet to be filled.
• Almost all irrigation schemes are unprotected and an easy target for thieves who cut submerged copper cables and loose pipes. 
• About 30 such thefts were reported to the police every year by the department.