Wheat growers stare at losses in rain-starved Kangra region

Lalit Mohan

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Dharamsala, December 18

The prevailing dry spell in Kangra region has adversely affected the wheat crop. Farmers in the Changar area, which comprises hilly tracts around Jawalamukhi, Dehra, Thural and Sullah, are dependent on rainfall for irrigating their crops.

Since there has been no rain for more than a month, the wheat crop sown in November has damaged, said Kultar Kumar of Jawalamukhi. “We will have to sow the seeds again. That too only after it rains in the region,” he said.

80% agri land rain-fed

• About 80 per cent of agricultural land in Kangra region is rain-fed
• Successive govts only talked about developing irrigation schemes
• No project conceived to provide sustainable irrigation source

There are also reports of lower discharge in the streams. This has impacted many drinking water schemes, besides affecting the tradition irrigation system of khulls where water from streams is sourced to the fields. Farmers in certain areas of Dharamsala, Palampur and Kangra use khulls for irrigating crops.

Deepak Garg, Superintending Engineer, Irrigation and Public Health Department, Dharamsala, said the discharge in natural streams was down by about 10-15 per cent. “If the dry spell continues, it will have a significant impact on some drinking water schemes,” he said.

As per data collected from HP Agriculture University in Palampur, about 80 per cent of the agricultural land in Kangra region is rain-fed. Farm experts have been deliberating on climate change and declining rainfall in the region and their impact on agriculture.

The successive state governments have only talked about developing irrigation schemes. However, despite the fact that a number of rivers and streams pass through the district, no project was conceived to provide sustainable irrigation source to the farmers.

During the previous BJP government, the Union Government provided funds for drinking water schemes, but no major project for irrigation in the district was submitted to the Centre by the IPH Department.