Demanding irrigation facilities, villagers hold protest at Kaza

Dipender Manta

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Mandi, August 5

Residents of Nekiyad village in the Spiti valley held a protest march at Kaza today in support of their demand for irrigation facilities. The villagers were sitting on dharna against the Forest Department and the local administration at Kaza in support of their demand since July 19 but to no avail.

Padma Dorje, a former member of Zila Parishad, Lahaul and Spiti, told The Tribune that “the residents of Nekiyad village were facing difficulties in irrigating their agricultural land for the past many years. Many families have migrated to other places from the village in the absence of irrigation facilities. However, 165 families are still living in the village and they are struggling due to the lack of irrigation facilities for their agricultural land.”

During the BJP regime, on the demand of the area residents, the then Tribal Development Minister Ram Lal Markanda had taken up the issue with the state government. In 2021, the government had approved Rs 9 crore for the construction of an irrigation scheme to facilitate villagers. In 2022, the Jal Shakti Department started the construction of the irrigation project. The work was now stalled following objections from the Forest Department.

The Forest Department has raised questions on the clearance report of the barren land, where construction work for the irrigation scheme was underway.

Chhering, a resident of Nekiyad village, said, “Without irrigation facilities, farmers of the village are unable to cultivate their land. They are dependent on seasonal rain for the cultivation of their agricultural land. This region receives less rain as compared to other parts of the state, directly impacting the agricultural and horticulture sectors.”

“We urge the local administration to resolve the issue at the earliest and clear the way for the completion of this ambitious project. Irrigation facilities are essential for the farmers of this village to get better crop so that they can sustain their livelihoods,” said Chhering and Padma Dorje.

They said that they would continue with their protest till the local administration resolves the issue. The villagers were sitting on dharna at Kaza for the past 18 days.