Pulwama, May 29: Farmers in Kakapora and neighbouring villages of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district have commenced the transplantation of paddy saplings after the district administration restored uninterrupted irrigation to the area.
Arshid Ahmad, a representative of Traders Association Kakapora, hailed the district administration’s swift response to address the irrigation crisis.
“The lift irrigation system is now functioning properly, and a significant portion of land in Kakapora has been irrigated,” he said.
Ahmad expressed his gratitude to Deputy Commissioner Pulwama Dr Basharat Qayoom, Executive Engineer of the Irrigation Department Nazir Ahmad Bhat and Executive Engineer of the Power Development Department (PDD) Mohammad Maqbool for their prompt resolution of the issue.
Farmers in Kakapora faced significant challenges due to frequent power outages affecting the lift irrigation scheme, which is crucial for supplying water to their fields.
Executive Engineer Nazir explained that the irrigation water crisis stemmed from these power disruptions.
“Upon learning about the issue, we promptly informed DC Pulwama, Dr Basharat Qayoom, who then coordinated with the PDD to ensure an uninterrupted power supply to operate the lift irrigation system,” he said, adding that the matter was resolved by the evening of the same day, enabling the lift irrigation to function smoothly since then.
Since the intervention, farmers have been receiving uninterrupted irrigation, allowing them to begin paddy transplantation without any hindrance, Bhat added.
He said that Pulwama district has 20 gravity and 30 lift irrigation schemes, all of which are currently functioning efficiently, with adequate water flow in various canals.
The Executive Engineer said the department is committed to providing continuous irrigation to farmers throughout the district, emphasising their proactive monitoring of different schemes on a daily basis to address any unexpected issues promptly.
The issue of irrigation water shortage was initially reported by Rising Kashmir on May 28, 2024, highlighting the farmers’ demand for restoration of irrigation to their fields.
