Poor water management, not rain, to blame for crop losses: Experts

Flood-like conditions across several districts of Haryana — including Bhiwani, Hisar, Sirsa, Fatehabad, Rohtak, Jhajjar, Jind, and Rewari — are once again crippling farmers during the kharif season. Agriculture experts say the recurring losses are less due to excessive rain and more because of poor water management and lack of crop diversification.

This monsoon, Haryana recorded 290.5 mm of rainfall against the normal 255.5 mm. “It’s the lack of management and not the excessive rains,” said a retired Irrigation Department engineer.

Tentative estimates suggest kharif crops on about 1.5 lakh acres have been hit by inundation. In many areas, water is unlikely to recede before rabi sowing, causing a double blow for farmers.

While district officials make routine visits and deploy pumpsets, the underlying problem remains: clogged or absent drainage systems and overflowing canals and channels.

In Hisar, around 35 villages are affected, with official estimates putting damage at 80,190 acres of crops — losses ranging from 25% to 50%. Bhiwani has reported flooding in 15 villages, submerging cotton, guar, and paddy. In Rewari, cotton and bajra crops across thousands of acres in over 35 villages have been damaged.

Farmers fear stagnant water will cause “irreparable damage, wiping out seasonal earnings.” Heavy rainfall in upstream hilly regions has worsened the crisis, pushing rivers such as the Markanda beyond capacity.

Visiting waterlogged villages in Bhiwani, Congress MP Deepender Hooda blamed the BJP government for “failing to take measures to drain water and save crops,” and demanded Rs 50,000 per acre compensation.

The Pagdi Sambhal Jatta Kisan Sangharsh Samiti has demanded a special girdawari, Rs 50,000 per acre compensation, and widening of the Ghaggar multipurpose drain to prevent future disasters.

BJP spokesperson Neha Dhawan countered that the state government had acted promptly, with departments working to drain water and inspect damage. “Farmers who suffer any damage to crops will be adequately compensated,” she said.

State data shows Haryana spent Rs 2,044.79 crore in 2021–22, Rs 2,425.33 crore in 2022–23, and Rs 2,356.77 crore in 2023–24 on irrigation and flood control, with Rs 3,071.73 crore allocated for 2024–25 — about 3.72% of the total budget.

While farmers are covered under the PMFBY crop insurance scheme and compensation for uninsured losses, delays and disputes over claims continue to fuel anger. In Bhiwani alone, farmers are protesting for Rs 300 crore in pending claims. Similar agitations are taking place in Hisar, Sirsa, Fatehabad, and Jind.

Farmer activist Ramkumar alleged: “Thousands of crores have been spent on irrigation and flood management and in the name of crop diversification, but farmers continue to stick to paddy. Paddy is also one of the major factors for floods. The drainage system has been crumbling over the years, and corruption is a major issue in implementation of projects.”