Pahalgam farmers urge Govt to restore vital Kullar irrigation canal

Pahalgam, Nov 26: In the heart of the picturesque Kullar village in Pahalgam, south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, a quiet yet urgent plea rises from the land.

The farmers of this verdant stretch, known for its rich agricultural produce, are grappling with an existential crisis.

A central source of irrigation, an essential canal, has been their breadwinner for generations.

Without this vital source, the farmers fear their crops — and their futures - may wither away.

The canal which once flowed, a promise of sustenance, has been in dilapidated conditions for months.

This used to be a crucial lifeline for the farmers who grow rice, vegetables, and other crops in the area but now stands as a symbol of neglect.

The water that once irrigated fields in a steady flow now trickles through cracks and has completely dried up at many places, rendering the farmers helpless.

“We depend entirely on this canal for our crops to survive,” says Bilal Ahmad Raina, a farmer from Kullar. “Without it, we stand at the risk of losing everything. If immediate repairs are not made, we will be staring at an uncertain future.”

Farmers from Kullar are used to the struggle of working with nature. They carefully nurture their fields, tilling and cultivating them. However, the increasingly unbearable crisis is giving them a real test of endurance. Their lush green fields had long been watered fields, and now they water nothing but dust. The previously nourishing soil slowly turns into mud.

“The repair of the canal is not just a need but a question of survival,” says another farmer, Ghulam Muhammad. “Our families rely on the yields, and if the case of the water supply continues uninterrupted, we would be forced to give up farming. The authorities must intervene now.”

The situation has become so severe that farmers are getting up to call for immediate intervention from the local administration and political leaders.

They are appealing to Lieutenant Governor ManojSinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, and Agriculture Minister Javaid Ahmad Dar to take immediate action and restore the canal to its previous state of strength so that the farmers of Kullar can continue their work without fears of crop failure.

The plea addressed to the authorities by the farmers underscores the need for prompt repairs, pointing out that delaying action would not only devastate their present livelihoods but also affect the broader agricultural community in the region.

Kullar’s farmers say that the canal is something more than just a source of water: it symbolises hope, stability, and the promise of a bountiful harvest.

“We are always willing to till the soil,” says ParveenAkhtar, a woman farmer in the village. “But we alone cannot do it. We need our leaders to conserve this canal. It is a cry for help from the heart of our village. We are desperate and hope our leaders will listen.”

As the Kullar farmers together make a demand, they have hope that their voice will be heard.

With proper support, the canal can be restored and the fields of Kullar, Pahalgam, can see proper harvest once again.

Time is passing, and the time to start action is now.

The farmers of Kullar do not want just water; they want a future. A future that will stay green and alive, so long as their very land, nourished through generations of love and care, stays alive.

Will the officials heed the call and ensure that fields in Kullar will flourish? Only time will tell.

For now, hope is the seed they are planting.