Irrigation hit in Malwa region

Sameer Singh

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, October 11

Farmers in the Malwa region have been dealt with a double whammy as irrigation of late-sown varieties of paddy and cotton crops has been affected adversely at the fag end of the season. Irrigation is being hit hard as on one hand there is acute shortage of power supply to tubewells (power supply to tubewells has been completely suspended in dozens of villages in Malwa), on the other, Sirhind canal (used by farmers as an alternate irrigation mehtod) has been closed on account of repair work these days. Farmers rued if immediate solution was not found, it would affect the yield this season.

No alternative

PSPCL has suspended the power supply to tubewells. Also, Sirhind canal is closed for repair. We have no alternative for watering our crops now. —Gurwinder Singh, Bathinda farmer

Supply will improve

The power shortage is there in the entire state. However, the supply of electricity is quite likely to improve from Tuesday onwards. —Baljeet Singh, PSPCL SE

Agricultural experts said it was a crucial time for watering Basmati and other late-sown varieties to ensure good yield. Earlier, farmers had the alternative to water crops with the canal water in case of power cuts. But with canal minors and tributary channels dried completely, farmers’ problems in the Malwa region have aggravated. Both private as well as government-run thermal plants are reeling from the acute shortage of coal and the power crisis is set to deepen in the coming days. Killi Nihal Singhwala, Mehma Sarja, Mehma Sarkari, Jhumba, Chughe Kalan, Chughe Khurd, Gill Patti, Goniana Kalan, Jadanwala, Khemuana and many other villages from Bathinda and Mansa districts are affected adversely with the current situation.

Farm activists also submitted memorandums at PSPCL subdivisions, demanding the power supply to tubewells.

Jagshir Jhumba, a BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) leader said, “Marginal farmers can’t afford generators to draw out water from borewells as the price of diesel has skyrocketed. Because of ill-planning of the government, we can’t water our crops at a time when not much time is left for harvest.”

Makhan Singh, a BKU (Dakonda) Mansa leader said: “A large area under the cotton crop has already come under the pink bollworm attack. The healthy crop is now deprived of irrigation due to power shortage. We will wait for another day or two before starting protests and gherao of powercom offices. Sandeep Singh Mangat, XEN, Irrigation Department, said: “The canal has been closed on account of repair work which would be carried out with an estimated cost of Rs 27 crore.”