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| No drought dangers in Kashmir, Ladakh | | 96% crops sown in Jammu but yield under threat | | Early Times Report
Jammu/Srinagar, Aug 20: Even as a survey is on to assess the affects of late monsoon arrival in state, the government today informed legislative assembly that there was nothing to worry about crop yield in Kashmir and Ladakh but the dangers of poor yield of Kharief loomed over Jammu region due to scanty rainfall.
While majority of agricultural fields across Jammu region depend on rainfall for irrigation, in Jammu district irrigation is augmented through four important canals and other minor lift and irrigation schemes. Therefore the areas which depended on rain-fed irrigation bear maximum risk of crop damage due to poor rainfall but in Jammu district the sowing is reported to have achieved around 94 percent, though belated.
Irrigation Minister Taj Mohiuddin today Legislative Assembly, in reply to calling attention motion of MLCs Ajay Sadhotra and Khalid Najib Suharawardy, that the total land in Jammu district where agricultural activities are carried out is 214836 hectares out of which 60268 hectares of land i.e. 20% of the total area is fed by the irrigation water through canals and tube wells. Of this, Ranbir Canal, New Partap Canal, Pargwal Canal, Ranjan Canal and lift and minor schemes irrigate 57045 hectares while tube wells provide irrigation facility to 3223 hectares.
He said it is a fact that due to dry spell and late monsoons, the irrigation water supply got adversely affected as the canal water when supplemented by the rains, makes the irrigations system successful. As far as Ranbir Canal is concerned, out of the total CCA of 38608 hectares, about 96% sowing and transplantation of the crops has been achieved though belatedly. However, there may be affect delayed monsoon on the maturity of the and yield of the crops.
He said as regards New Partap Canal, out of the total CCA of 9028 hectares, 80% achievement under sowing and transplantation has been made in respect of paddy crops till today. For Tube Well irrigation system, out of 217 tube wells in Jammu district, 199 tube wells are functioning satisfactorily which provide irrigation facilities to around 3223 hectares of land.
With respect to district Doda, where the poor farmers mainly depends on natural rainfalls, it is intimated that the total land in Doda district where agricultural activities are carried out is 84418 hectares. Out of which 3218 hectares i.e. 4% of total area is fed by the irrigation water system through 43 small khuls (completed/ongoing under various schemes) to overall irrigate 3218 hectares of land. At present, 3218 hectares of the land is being irrigated and the target is expected to be achieved during this year, he added.
The Minister said that as far as Kashmir region is concerned, most of the canal system is gravity based with glacier fed perennial sources of water and there is no scarcity of irrigation facilities as far as these canals are concerned. However, some lift stations including few draught stations usually get affected during August every year. Since there has been scarce rainfall in the valley for the last two months, few lift stations have become non-functional. The problem gets compounded due to the illegal extraction of sand from the main river Jhelum. To overcome such problems, the Department has started implementing the Canal Embankment Act of 1929 which shall overcome the illegal extraction of sand from River Jhelum and which in turn affects lift stations.
He said apart from the above, the Department is constructing temporary ring bunds near the intake of these pump stations and in the tail areas to supplement the irrigation by draught pumps. However, these draught pumps are not sufficient to overcome the problem. The department has formulated project report costing Rs. 9.00 crores for the procurement of these draught pumps.
The Minister said that though the Ladakh region has experienced scanty rainfall during this summer, yet the region is not facing any draught like situation due to the fact that the area is dependant mainly on glaciers/snow fed rivers and streams for irrigation purposes. Since there was enough snowfall during the winter, therefore, the situation in the region in respect of irrigation is by and large satisfactory.
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