Rohtak: Growers facing scarcity of water for irrigating fields

Sunit Dhawan

Rohtak, September 17

After suffering crop-losses due to the recent spell of excessive untimely rain and waterlogging, the farmers, especially the paddy growers, are now facing a scarcity of water for irrigating their fields.

“Farmers of villages under Kalanaur tehsil are facing acute shortage of water for irrigation due to scanty rainfall during the past few weeks, coupled with insufficient supply of canal water and long power cuts,” said Jogender Baniyani, who heads the local unit of the All-India Kisan Sabha.

Paddy, cotton and bajra crops are getting affected due to the lack of water for irrigation, he added. Moreover, the paddy crop is also getting affected by leaf-folder disease, adding to the woes of farmers. “Paddy crop in our village as well as nearby villages is affected by leaf-folder disease,” lamented Ramesh, a farmer of Pakasma village in Rohtak district.

Krishan of Ritoli village also reported the prevalence of leaf-folder disease in the village.

Paddy growers of Bohar, Bhalauth, Rurkee, Sundana and Kabulpur villages in the district also maintained that their crop has been attacked by leaf-folder disease.

Rakesh Kumar, Quality-Control Inspector at the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, said instances of leaf-folder disease had been reported from some villages, but it was under the economic threshold level and could be treated.

“The farmers whose crops have been affected by the disease can adopt physical measures like passing a rope over the affected crops to get rid of the disease-causing insects. They may also use Cartap hydrochloride or Monocrotophos in the amount prescribed by experts,” said the officer.