Irrigation water shortage

Reports of irrigation water shortage are pouring in from different parts of Kashmir Valley. Because of the scarcity of the water the paddy saplings spread over hundreds of kanals of agriculture land is getting damaged. The damage can result in lesser production of rice in the affected areas this year. There is an immediate need to solve the problem and come to the rescue of the affected people. The shortage of irrigation water surfaces up almost every year. But this year because of the intense heat wave the crisis is more serious. The water level has drastically decreased in the irrigation canals. Subsequently, the paddy fields are not getting the irrigation water. The farmers are worried and urging the concerned authorities to intervene and save the agricultural produce from further damage. They demand water in the irrigation canals.

Some farmers say that at many places the lift irrigation schemes are not working properly as required electricity is not provided. They demand adequate electricity for lifting the water and increasing the water level in the irrigation canals. They said if the crop is damaged it will affect their livelihood as they solely depend on it for their survival.

While the apple production sector is considered the backbone of the Kashmir economy, the rice production is also popular in vast areas of Kashmir since rice is the staple diet here. As the shortage of irrigation water occurs every year, steps should be taken in advance to deal with the problem. The concerned department must improve the functioning of irrigation water schemes and enable those to meet the emerging challenges. Issuing advisory to farmers not to go for paddy cultivation and prefer other crops due to water shortage is not always a solution. Rice production is equally important. Before the apple production most agricultural land was being used for rice production. Later the rice fields were converted into apple orchards.

Agricultural land was also used for constructing residential colonies and commercial buildings. That way the agricultural fields kept on shrinking. Now whatever fields are left have to be preserved. If the rice production is hit every year due to irrigation water shortage then the farmers may also think about switching over to other available options. That way the rice production may get hit further and Kashmir will have to depend more on importing rice from outside to meet its demands.