No more water please, say farmers

JEYPORE: While lack of  irrigation water continues to trouble farmers in many districts,  it’s a problem of plenty here. Pani panchayats under Dhanpur distributary system in upper Kolab project have asked the authorities concerned to stop water supply to different canals for the ensuing rabi season to save crops from water-logging.Around 5,000 hectares of crop lands under Dhanpur distributary system have been water-logged due to uninterrupted supply of water for the past 11 years.Farmers said due to faulty planning by officials concerned, more water is being supplied in the area through various canals to ayacut areas resulting in water-logging of nearly 70 per cent crops. Every year, farmers face the problem of not being able to use either machines or bullock carts to plough the crops. Water-logging has also resulted in damage to the soil quality and subsequent low crop yield.As per norms, the Irrigation Department should stop water supply to the ayacut areas once in three years for proper management. However, as the upper Kolab project authorities have failed to do so, it has resulted in water-logging and subsequent crop damage.Farmers, meanwhile, have threatened to take the matter to the court if no measures are taken to resolve the problem at the earliest.