Groundwater depletion pushes Sangrur district into dark zone

Parvesh Sharma

Tribune News Service

Sangrur, June 21

With farmers reluctant to go in for direct sowing of rice (DSR), which guzzles 30 per cent less water, crisis stares Sangrur in the face, with the groundwater depleting by the day.

Out of the total 2.83 lakh hectares under paddy cultivation, the DSR was done on 1,800 hectares this year.

Sources said last year, the area in the district under the DSR was 600 hectares and despite efforts of the Agriculture Department and the Sangrur administration, only 1,200 hectares has increased this year. But in a majority of villages, the damage appears to have been done as the water table has gone down to around 500-600 feet deeper, while earlier it was 200 feet.

“The situation is alarming. The Punjab Government must make the DSR mandatory to save the water table,” the sources said. With the growing interference of various kisan unions, Punjab farmers have developed a habit of challenging measures taken by the authorities,” said Kulwant Singh, a farmer from Dirba, who was sitting in the local Agriculture Department office.

Various early ripening varieties like PR-111,115,123 and PUSA varieties 1121,1509 through the DSR can be sown from June as these do not need standing water. But a majority of the farmers these days are preferring water guzzling varieties of paddy like PR-126,124 and 127. “They are aware of the depleting groundwater, but they won’t change until there is some strictness,” Pawan Kumar, a farmer from Bhawanigarh, said.

Sangrur Chief Agriculture Officer (CAO) Jaswinderpal Singh Grewal said they were offering help to all farmers.

“The DSR consumes 30 per cent less water. Our officers are regularly visiting villages to promote the technique as its cost is also less, but the farmers are not showing interest. Our expectations are way too high. This year has seen some improvement. We hope the DSR will cover more area next year,” Grewal said.

What is direct sowing of rice 

Direct sowing of rice (DSR) refers to the process of establishing a rice crop from seeds sown in the field rather than by transplanting seedlings from the nursery. It is done in a dry field after laser levelling and there is no need of standing water.