Amidst the ongoing heat wave in Kashmir, farmers across the valley are facing a shortage of water especially for their paddy fields as water level in Jhelum has dropped to a 55-Year low.
In most parts down in south Kashmir, the farmers usually start the process of transplantation now, however, the dry farmlands in most parts of south Kashmir have made the farmers wait.
Abdul Ahad Khan who is a sixty-four-year-old farmer from Anantnag’s batengoo area says that there is no water in the fields. “Our paddy fields have run dry. Most of us have never confronted such an issue. The irrigation channels have run dry and there is no water coming down the skies,” he told The Kashmiriyat.
He says hundreds of families in the Batengoo are dependent on the annual rice production from the fields.
“People have lately gotten used to the comfort. They do not realize the importance of local production, otherwise, things are going to get expensive. We just hope that we are able to produce so that we can sustain our families and produce rice for others too,” he said.
Official estimates say that the water level at the Sangam gauge in south Kashmir has dropped down to 0.74 feet. Official figures also suggest that this is the first time in the last 55 years that the water levels have dropped to 0.74 feet.
“Usually, at this time of the year the water used to flow at above 3-feet, but the level recorded right now is definitely worrying as it has impacted irrigation facilities negatively,’ Official said,
Meanwhile, the level water at the Marwal Irrigation Scheme in Jhelum has dropped down considerably. The scheme supplies water to areas in south and central Kashmir.
Added to this, there are no-drought pumps available in Kashmir valley and cannot even be made available the pumps take at least three months on an average to be built, as per the needs of the region.
Experts in Earth Science state that the temperatures in Jammu Kashmir in March and April exceeded by 9-12 Degrees Centigrade resulting in a massive melt of the snow, as well as the glacial reserves.
They say that the snow accumulation during the 40-day period of Chillai Kalan becomes very important to sustain irrigation.
The water level has also dropped in most of the streams including as Brengi, Rambi Ara, and Waishow.
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Out of the total 394 irrigation projects, 72 are no longer active in the Kashmir valley. The districts of Kupwara, Budgam and Pulwama were the worst hit. “We have already advised farmers to not go for paddy cultivation this year, they need to go for low-irrigation crops like pulses,” a senior official told The Kashmiriyat.
The Agriculture Department of Jammu Kashmir has advised the farmers to go for crops that need less irrigation. Speaking to The Kashmiriyat, a senior official said that the farmers have a choice. “They can transplant pulses (Mong and Mah), because it doesn’t require too much irrigation. The random rain showers in the month of July can do the job,” he told The Kashmiriyat.
Responding to the drought like situation in Kashmir, he said, there is an insurance scheme available for the farmers. “Those who want to make insurance can contact our concerned zones but the crops it include is only maize and paddy. The farmers can easily follow the procedure. The cost of insurance is approx. 7 thousand per canal.”