Dharmagarh/Koksara: Sufficient water is said to be unavailable for farmlands at the tail end of Indravati multi-purpose project in Koksara and Dharmgarh blocks in Kalahandi district.
This and other issues like choked canals and botched up restoration work came up for discussion during observation of pani panchayats fortnight in which farmers, engineers and staff of lift and minor irrigation departments and various pani panchayats participated.
Equitable distribution of water from canals has been one of the issues in Dharmagarh. The officials explained to the farmers on the right usage and management of water and maintenance of canals, apart from easy way of channelising water to farmlands.
During the deliberations, farmers living at the tail end of the canal system alleged that they were not getting the required quantity of water due to bad shape of canals. The affected farmers demanded that the Indravati project authorities should address their problems on a priority basis.
Similarly, farmers affiliated to various pani panchayats in Koksara alleged that due to lack of canal repairs, their farmlands have been deprived of water from the Indravati left canal. Hundreds of farmers affiliated to 155 pani panchayats under Kusumikhunti division pointed out that there is a lack of coordination between the officials of Kusumikhunti division and the staff of pani panchayats.
They also alleged that officials have left restoration work of many canals halfway. “Canal restoration work is not carried out properly and some work has been halted while some canals were choked with silt. They need to be dredged out. Due to choked canals, water does not reach the tail end areas. The farmers at the end of the canal system have to suffer for lack of water,” the farmers said.
They also said that some projects have been executed by pani panchayats, but pani panchayat committees have not been provided utilisation certificates (UCs) by the authorities concerned. As UCs are not furnished in time, there is delay in getting payments for the works, they added.
Farmers also said that some canal work is being done under MGNREGS in Koksara. The water resources department hands over the work to the panchayati raj department while block authorities are taking care of the work, but the quality of work is being compromised.
Members of many pani panchayats demanded that all works should be executed under pani panchayats in the larger interests of the farm sector in the area.
Executive engineer Bhikari Charan Behera assured the farmers that their demands would be looked into and steps taken. The government will be apprised of the issues and demands of pani panchayats, he added.
PNN