Srinagar, Jun 21: Some good rains over the last few days in Kashmir have brought cheer to farmers, especially those who have been facing a shortage of irrigation facilities.
Farmers from different areas of Kashmir were quoted by news agency Kashmir News Observer (KNO) as saying that due to incessant rains for the past few days they were able to irrigate their fields and transplant paddy.
While rained farming areas in Kashmir are going to immensely benefit from the current spell of rains, the lift irrigation fed farmlands may again face shortage if rains subside and snowmelt accelerates. Pertinently, owing to less snow this winter and early snow melts, most of the Kashmir in Kashmir, feeding lift irrigation schemes are under strain.
Shabir Ahmad, a farmer from Anantnag said that due to low water level in Jhelum river, the irrigation scheme in their area was defunct and hence they were unable to transplant paddy in a timely manner.
But with these rains water level in the river has increased and lift irrigation schemes have started functioning, he said.
Manzoor Ahmad, another farmer from Pulwama’s Kakapora said that rains have saved their season. But they have apprehensions too.
“If there won’t be more rains, water level in Jhelum will recede again because snows have melted early and schemes will go defunct again and fields will dry up”, he fears.
Meanwhile, Executive Engineer Irrigation and Flood Control Pulwama Er Fareed Reshie said that the water level in water bodies have increased and currently all schemes were functional.
He added that water level in Jehlum at Sangam was earlier just 0.6 ft which increased to 8.01 ft, however, it decreased to 4.1 ft again. However, currently all schemes are functional. —(KNO)
