New dam in Jaman Ki Ser to make fields green, transform economy

Ambika Sharma

Solan, June 3

With farmers bereft of assured irrigation for their cash crops, a dam coming up at Jaman Ki Ser panchayat in the Sarahan area of Sirmaur promises to revolutionise the area’s economy. The nondescript panchayat in the Rajgarh subdivision offers no other avocation to people, who are dependent either on farming or animal husbandry to eke out a living.

The Jal Shakti Department, which began the dam project a year ago, is awaiting the monsoons for it to fill up. “The dam is being constructed after availing funds from the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development. It is ready to be filled in the monsoons,” informed Mandeep Gupta, executive engineer, JSD, Rajgarh.

The dam, with the wall measuring 35m in length and 8m in height, has a capacity of 1.7 crore litres. It is the first such dam to be constructed in the Pacchad Assembly segment.

With this water body designed to have a pumping system on both banks, as much as 35 hectares land would be brought under irrigation through it. It would be a blessing for the drought-prone area of Ghadghini, falling in Pacchad segment of Sirmaur.

Villagers of Jaman Ki Ser are eagerly awaiting its completion as it will ensure irrigation for their cash crops such as garlic, ginger, tomato, seasonal vegetables, onions, etc.

“As there is no other source of assured irrigation, we are either dependent on stored water or rain for irrigating our fields. The construction of a dam has been a long-standing demand of the villagers as there has not been enough water for the fields. Though it was sanctioned some years ago also, it could not be constructed earlier,” said Rajinder, up-pradhan of Jaman Ki Ser panchayat.

He informed this correspondent that about 3,000 people will benefit from the project. “Though we have some handpumps in the panchayat, people are facing problems in getting potable water as natural sources have dried up. Fetching water from the nearby khud for the cattle as well as to irrigate the fields is an arduous task. The lack of water has also restricted agricultural practices and we expect that this dam will give a big boost to agriculture,” he said.

Long-standing demand

As there is no other source of assured irrigation, we are either dependent on stored water or rain for irrigating our fields. The construction of a dam has been a long-standing demand of the villagers as there has not been enough water for the fields. Though it was sanctioned some years ago also, it could not be constructed earlier. — Rajinder, up-pradhan of panchayat