The residents of Kralpora have been creating hurdles in providing irrigation water to Kanihama belt of Budgam district
Pertinently eedlings sown over thousands of acres of land dried up in Kanihama block of Tehsil BK Pora here in central Kashmir’s Budgam district due to water shortage.
Farmers of the area said that paddy fields in Kanihama block received water supply from Kralpora via Marvel Lift Irrigation. “This canal was 16 feet wide but due to illegal constructions on its banks, it has shrunk to 3 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 that due to shortage of water, paddy seedlings sown over thousands of acres of land dried up last year and added that the growers would suffer heavy loss again if government fails to make water arrangement for the Kanihama area.
SDM Chadoora Prince Hamid while talking exclusively with PTK said that he has already taken up this issue with concerned executive officer and JE and they said that very soon work for the cleaning of Kralpora-Kanihama canal will start.
There are some issues as at some places people are objecting in use of machinery, he said, while requesting people to cooperate with the department and allow authorities to use machinery so that it can be cleaned in shortest possible time.
He said that irrigation department has recently cleaned main canal in Kralpora and there is need to cooperate them so that water carrying capacity of the canals can be cleaned.
He further added that illegal encroachments on the canal will be removed and canal will restored to its past glory. (PTK)
