Pulwama/Shopian, Jul 07 (KNO): Farmers across several villages in South Kashmir’s Pulwama and Shopian districts have raised their voice against the continued neglect of a crucial irrigation siphon that was damaged during the 2014 floods and hasn't been reconstructed since then, thereby crippling the agriculture-dependent economy of the region.
The siphon part of a vital irrigation canal network lies in Rakh village of Pulwama. While a bridge was rebuilt to restore road connectivity, the siphon, essential for delivering irrigation water to downstream areas, was never reconstructed.
“Our fields have developed cracks in this heat while officials continue to ignore us,” said Ghulam Mohammad Mir, a farmer from Rakh village. “We haven’t been able to irrigate our paddy land properly in the absence of adequate water supply.”
According to locals, the absence of the siphon has disrupted water flow to several villages including Rakh, Zahidbagh, Darbagh, Naina, Batpora, and Watchi—spread across both Pulwama and Shopian districts. They said dozens of hectares of farmland are facing threats everywhere due to unavailability of water and this year the condition has reached to extreme level.
The situation has been further aggravated by the ongoing dry spell and erratic water supply from temporary alternatives. A pump shed, established as an interim measure, has failed to offer reliable relief due to several issues.
“The pump functions erratically. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. Even when it does, the pressure is too low to irrigate the distant fields,” said Abdul Qayoom, a farmer from Batpora.
Another farmer, Mohammad Akbar from Zahidbagh, expressed deep frustration. “For ten years, we have been requesting the Irrigation department to fix the siphon. Every year they make excuses. We don’t want promises—we want action.”
Farmers said they have already planted paddy saplings but are worried about the crop yield due to low water levels in the rivulet and lack of a proper irrigation system.
In the absence of water flow, parts of the canal have also deteriorated into dumping grounds, adding to the environmental woes of the villagers.
Meanwhile, farmers from the affected villages have appealed to the Lieutenant Governor’s administration and concerned departments to expedite the reconstruction work before the damage to the agriculture sector becomes irreversible.
An official from the Irrigation and Flood Control Department acknowledged the problem, stating that a mega project to reconnect the broken canal system and reconstruct the siphon was approved years ago, but wasn't taken up due to "certain issues."
“We understand the gravity of the situation. The project is in the pipeline, and work is expected to begin soon,” the official said—(KNO)