Water Shortage: Seedlings sown over hundreds of acres of land drying up

Suhail Rather

Bandipora, July 16:(PTK)Seedlings sown over hundreds of acres of land are drying up in Gamroo Village in North Kashmir’s Bandipora district.

Farmers warned of protests in case district administration and Irrigation and Flood Control Department fail to restore the water supply.

They said that paddy fields in Gamroo village received water supply from Arin nallah via Rampora and Checkarsala Irrigation canal. “This Canal was 15 feet wide but due to illegal constructions on its banks it has shrunk to 2 feet only. Before water can reach to paddy fields, the farmers living on the banks of this canal block this water and irrigate their personal vegetable patches,” they said.

They said due to shortage of water, paddy seedlings sown over hundreds of acres of land are drying up and added that the growers would suffer heavy loss if water was not immediately released for these paddy fields.

They accused the officials of callous attitude and said that they are taking the matter lightly.

An official of revenue department said that the encroachment on both sides of the Canal will be removed and water will be released for these paddy fields.(PTK)