Winter adds to woes of waterlogging-hit farmers

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Pakki Tibbi (Muktsar), January 15

Travel anywhere in the district these days and you will find big patches of farmland covered with a thick white layer called ‘shora’ (efflorescence).

It is because of the waterlogging that started in this particular area more than two decades ago.

Despite huge efforts and crores of rupees spent by successive state and central governments, this problem persists and is a big cause of worry for farmers. In waterlogging-affected areas, some farmers are not even able to get one crop in a year.

Farmers across the district said that as winter approaches, their fields start turning white.

“We can’t think of sowing wheat as we know ‘shora’ comes up in the winter. Due to the chill, water evaporation becomes minimal. So, a white layer is formed on the surface. It is not a harmless layer as it damages bricks, iron pipes, etc. If you put something inside the land, it will decay in a few days. The underground water in most of the district is brackish and unfit for consumption,” said Sukhdev Singh of Kattianwali village, while showing waterlogging-affected land at the adjoining Pakki Tibbi village.

Some farmers said that the Irrigation Department laid sub-surface drainage pipes in the fields, made a large number of drains, installed shallow tubewells along the canals, but the problem remains unsolved.

SL Sidhu, Superintending Engineer, Drainage Wing, Irrigation Department, Muktsar, said, “The ‘shora’ comes up when farmers use underground water for paddy crop. The first rain of the winter season sets things right as the chemicals go down the surface. In my area, most of the land is covered under a drainage system and farmers harvest the wheat crop every year.”

Meanwhile, attempts to contact Gurdial Singh, Superintending Engineer, Gidderbaha, proved futile.