Haryana grapples with increased soil salinity

Karnal, February 14

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Haryana, known for its fertile lands, is grappling with the challenge of increased soil salinity. Excess irrigation, introduction of canal systems without adequate drainage provisions and cultivation of high-water-requiring crops are the major contributors to this increase in salinity.

Currently, Haryana has 0.31 million hectares of salt-affected soil, while India has 7 million out of a total of approximately 1000 million hectares that has been affected across the world.

Sirsa, Fatehabad, Hisar, parts of Bhiwani, Charkhi Dadri, Rohtak, Jhajjar and some parts of Sonepat districts are affected with salinity, while Kurukshetra, Kaithal and parts of Karnal and Jind districts are affected with sodicity.

The gravity of the situation was highlighted during the first day of the International Salinity Conference on ‘Rejuvenating Salt Affected Ecologies for Land Degradation Neutrality under Changing Climate’ at Central Soil and Salinity Research Institute (CSSRI). Scientists of six countries — Australia, Ethiopia, Japan, Egypt, CIMMYT Mexico and Bangladesh — and experts from 15 states attended the conference and discussed measures to overcome the challenge of soil salinity.