Srinagar, Feb 17: Residents of Kawini village in Awantipora area of south Kashmir are up in arms against the Irrigation & Flood Control (I&FC) Department for failing to complete a lift irrigation scheme that was approved way back in 2011.
Residents of Kawini village said the lift irrigation scheme was approved in 2011 and the work was started later in 2016 that too after huge public outcry. However, later the work on the same was stopped and they are still waiting for the completion of the scheme.
Aijaz Ahmad, a resident said the scheme was meant to provide irrigation to the paddy fields of the village as it faces water scarcity that has compelled them to shift to other crops.
“Mechanical works have been completed. However, the civil works are still incomplete and works were left midway. They are yet to construct a building at the water source that would have provided water via pipes and resolved the matter,” he said.
Aijaz said under the scheme lift irrigation pipes were installed few years back and these pipes have now rusted under the ground.
The resident also said that around 60 percent of work on the scheme has been completed but later it was put on halt around three years ago due to unknown reasons.
“We don’t have any irrigation facility available for our agricultural land due to which we are suffer in the summer season and have to rely only on rainwater,” he said.
The local resident said when the work on the scheme was started people of the area had high hopes that it would end their miseries.
“We face scarcity of irrigation water. We are facing a huge problem. Due to the non-availability of irrigation facilities, we are forced to shift to other crops,” he said.
The residents said they had many times taken up the matter with the Deputy Commissioner Pulwama but till date no action has been taken and the scheme is still incomplete.
The residents appealed the concerned authorities of Irrigation and Flood Control Department to resume work on scheme and make it functional ahead of the new paddy season.
Chief Engineer (CE), Irrigation & Flood Control (I&FC) Department Kashmir, Naresh Kumar said he is not aware about the scheme and assured that he will look into the matter and take up the issue with the concerned.
