Official efforts to remove water from fields prove inadequate

Ravinder Saini

Tribune News Service

Bahu Akbarpur (Rohtak), November 16

A major portion of the agricultural land in Bahu Akbarpur village of Rohtak remains flooded despite efforts of the Irrigation Department to drain out the accumulated canal water.

Over 400 acres of agricultural land was flooded due to erosion of embankment of the Kaahnaur distributary canal in the village on Friday.

Infuriated over the sluggish pace of the water removal operation, village farmers today started removing the stagnant water from their fields through electric engines. A few others called on the Rohtak Deputy Commissioner (DC), seeking special efforts to remove the water and adequate compensation for their loss.

During its visit to the village, The Tribune team found irrigation officials getting the breach in the Kaahanaur Distributary Canal plugged through clay, but no effective efforts were being made to drain out the water from low-lying fields. Merely on electric pump was being used in the operation.

Kuldeep and others farmers today started draining out the stagnant water through a rubber pipe. On being asked about the efforts of the officials in this regard, Kuldeep said they were completing the formalities instead of taking effective steps.

“The accumulated water cannot be removed without digging a drain under the highway passing outside the village, as another drain where the stagnant water is to be discharged is located on the other side of the highway,” said Kuldeep, adding the officials were not paying heed to this option.

Karambir said farmers had suffered a great loss but no other higher authority except the Irrigation Department had so far come to the village to take stock of the situation.

Anil Kumar, junior engineer, said all possible efforts were being made to drain out the accumulated water from the fields. “The accumulated water has been removed from a major portion through pipes. Some farmers are draining the accumulated water in dry fields through electric engines,” he added.