Srinagar Farmers Battle Deepening Water Crisis as Paddy Fields Wither in Heatwave
Srinagar, July 5: In the paddy-growing pockets on the outskirts of Srinagar, a quiet crisis is unfolding — one that threatens the survival of hundreds of farming families. As Kashmir faces one of its worst dry spells in decades, farmers in areas such as Hazratbal, Burzahama, Gassoo, Khimber, Danihama, New Theed, Harwan, Dara, Wanihama, Syedpora, Mulphaq, and Tailbal are struggling to irrigate their paddy fields amid a growing water emergency.
The prolonged heatwave has scorched the Valley, pushing temperatures in Srinagar above 37 degrees Celsius — levels not seen since the early 1950s. But beyond the discomfort of soaring heat, it is the shrinking water bodies — rivers, canals, and streams — that are ringing alarm bells.
Paddy farmers in these once water-rich belts now find their fields parched and cracking. With little to no water in the irrigation channels that traditionally nourished their crops, many are on the verge of losing their entire harvest.
“The situation is alarming. There is no water left in the streams. Our fields are drying, and if this continues, the entire crop will fail,” said Ghulam Nabi, a farmer from Mulphaq, pointing to his half-wilted rice seedlings that are turning yellow under the sun.
Farmers are now turning to electric and petrol-powered motors, trying to pump water from distant sources or what little remains in ponds or hand-dug wells. But the widespread drying of canals has rendered even these efforts largely futile.
In the face of scarcity, an informal turn-based irrigation system has emerged, where farmers wait — sometimes for days — to get a few minutes of water for their fields. This new routine has also brought stress and tension to the fields.
“There are frequent arguments now. Everyone is desperate to save their paddy. Sometimes, my turn comes at midnight, and I stay up all night just to water a small patch,” said a farmer from Danihama, who requested anonymity.
With many fields still waiting for their first full irrigation and the transplanting window shrinking rapidly, anxiety among the farming community is deepening.
Beyond the climate-induced crisis, farmers also blame unchecked urbanisation and administrative neglect. Srinagar’s outskirts have witnessed rapid construction in recent years, choking centuries-old water channels that once formed a reliable irrigation network.
Encroachments, landfill, and construction over irrigation paths have further limited water movement, while dredging and maintenance of canals remain ignored.
“When it comes to agriculture, especially paddy, Srinagar is treated as if it doesn’t matter. But there is still a sizeable agrarian population here. The government needs to take irrigation seriously and repair this collapsing system,” said Mushtaq Ahmad, a farmer from Tailbal.
For many families in these areas, paddy cultivation is not just a seasonal activity — it’s their main source of food and income. With ration entitlements per family reduced in recent years and market prices of rice soaring, they have increasingly come to rely on home-grown rice to get through the year.
“We were hoping to store enough rice to last the year. Now, even that looks impossible,” said a farmer from Harwan. “It’s not just about losing a crop — it's about not having food security.”
The emotional and economic toll is becoming visible. Some farmers have begun exploring alternative crops that require less water, while others are considering giving up farming altogether — an option many say they are being forced into.
As of now, the only hope lies in the sky. The local Meteorological Department has forecast a possibility of rainfall in the coming days. Farmers, exhausted and anxious, are now placing their hopes on timely showers to rescue what little remains of the season.
Until then, they continue to take shifts through the night, pumping, digging, waiting — doing everything they can to keep their paddy alive.
“This crop is our lifeline,” said another farmer from Burzahama. “If it fails, so do we.”
