Farmers demand urgent water supply amid ongoing shortage
Farmers in Sirsa district are struggling with shortage of water for both drinking and irrigation of fields. Normally, canal water supply schedule is updated every year starting from May 21. However, this year, the new schedule has not been issued, causing delays in sowing important crops like cotton and guar.
Farmers have urged the government to immediately announce a clear water distribution plan for two weeks supply followed by one week of closure. They believe this would help protect their crops and also ease drinking water crisis in many areas.
One major cause of the shortage is damaged siphon at the Ottu head on the Hisar-Ghaggar drain. Due to this, water is not reaching important canals such as Sheranwali Parallel, SGC and Kuttabadh minor. Farmers have demanded urgent repairs of the siphon and an independent investigation into alleged corruption linked to delays in this work. They said strict action should be taken against officials responsible for the delay in repairs.
These issues were discussed during a farmers’ meeting held at Jat Dharamshala in Sirsa on Friday. The meeting was led by Bharatiya Kisan Ekta (BKE) state president Lakhwinder Singh Aulakh. The gathering began with a two minute silence to honour the victims of the recent Ahmedabad plane crash.
Aulakh raised several key issues during the meeting. He demanded an end to alleged fraud in the name of bio-fertilisers and asked the government to ensure free and easy availability of diammonium phosphate (DAP) and urea without “tagging” at IFFCO centres and private, cooperative and government shops.
He also accused some fertiliser and pesticide companies of cheating farmers and avoiding GST, with alleged support from certain officials of the Agriculture Department. He said poor quality products were being sold in colourful packaging without proper checks. According to him, sample testing was either not done or test results were manipulated with bribes, especially at the Hisar laboratory.
Aulakh also called for the release of pending payments for DSR (direct seeding of rice), compensation for farm water tanks and insurance claims for the Kharif 2022 season. He criticised the local police for focusing on issuing challans instead of solving real issues. He urged the Superintendent of Police to assign staff to handle public complaints.
In response to the crisis, Irrigation Department SDO Dharampal Panwar said, “Sirsa has been divided into three main groups. Each group is getting water for one week in rotation. Since June 11, water is being released from the Maujgarh, Kusla, Golewala and Kalanwali heads to nearby villages. The next group will receive water in the coming week.”
Panwar said, “The shortage is due to limited water supply from the main source. However, the Sirsa Irrigation Department has been regularly communicating with the higher authorities to ensure water supply. This year, water is being provided for both drinking and irrigation, unlike last season when only drinking water was available.”
Meanwhile, farmers from Rania and Ellenabad villages protested at the Ottu head for no supply of water to Sheranwali and MGC canal. Around 60 villages are affected by ongoing construction at the siphon. Later, Canal Department SDO Raghubir Singh assured farmers that the repair would be completed in 10 days, after which farmers ended their protest.
Haryana Tribune