Irrigation crisis: Anantnag villagers destroy 20 barricades to irrigate their fields

Sameer Ahmad

Anantnag,July 08: Residents of Shamsipora, Hassanpora, Sursum, and other villages on Monday destroyed at least 20 barricades which came from their village canals to Lassipora Canal to get water for their irrigation fields after facing water shortage for the last one month.

Sources told Arising State that at least 300 people from different villages, including Shamsipora, Hassanpora, Sursum, and others, on Monday destroyed at least 20 barricades and diverted water for irrigation. The Lassipora Canal is the main source of water for the irrigation of these villages, sources said.

Talking to Arising State, Abdul Rasheed said that the villagers assembled on Monday and restored the water flow by destroying at least 20 barricades, which were placed in the canal to divert the water.

“We have restored the Nadi Canal, which is now charged at 60 percent, and the Drubji Canal, which irrigates several villages in the nearby areas here in Anantnag district. Lassipora Canal is the main source for both canals, which irrigate hundreds of kanals of land in several villages of Bijbehara in Anantnag district.”

However, residents alleged that neither the Agriculture Department nor the Irrigation Department officials have visited their villages, following which they were forced to take this step to water their fields. The concerned department has never desilted these canals, they said.

Meanwhile, Kashmir is currently facing a severe irrigation crisis due to a prolonged dry spell and water shortages, impacting agricultural activities and livelihoods. Farmers are struggling to irrigate their paddy fields and other crops as many streams and irrigation canals have dried up.