The Hindu : Karnataka News : Woes of tail-end farmers in Bagwadi distributary command area continue

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Karnataka

Woes of tail-end farmers in Bagwadi distributary command area continue

M. Ahiraj

‘Farmers in the upper reaches of the canal adopt illegal means to draw water’

It is more than 50 days since water was released
Farmers have not been able to take up transplantation

TOUGH TIMES: Farm land in Bagwadi command area lies uncultivated due to non-availability of water

SIRGUPPA (BELLARY DISTRICT): The woes of the tail-end farmers of the command area served by the Bagwadi distributary of the Tungabhadra low-level canal in Sirguppa taluk due to the non-availability of water continue this year too. Their appeal for early redressal has been like a cry in the wilderness.

“Even after 50 days following water release in the canal, farmers have not been able to take up transplantation of paddy. Transplantation has happened only in less than 500 acres as against the target of 8,200 acres for this kharif season.

This is because water does not reach the tail-end as those in the upper reaches unauthrorisedly draw water. This has been our plight for the past two decades it and has remained unattended,” bemoans Mohan Kumar, president of the Bagwadi Ayacutdars Association in Sirguppa.

The length of the Bagwadi distributary is 36 km covering around 8,200 acres of land during kharif and 12,600 acres during rabi seasons, spread over 24 villages and 16 camps.

The schedule discharge of water from the 68th km of the Tungabhadra low-level main canal into the distributary is 145 cusecs. This year, water was let into the distributary on July 10.

But water let into the canal does not flow beyond the 23rd km of the 36-km long distributary as farmers in the upper reaches allegedly draw water unauthorisedly to irrigate around 5,000 acres in non-ayacut areas to raise paddy. They do this by damaging the canal bund in the land belonging to the government.

“Everyone is aware of what is happening and also about the plight of the authorised ayacutdars. The government land on either side of the canal is shrinking due to encroachment. Yet no action is being taken against the guilty by the government, and also to redress the woes of the ayacutdars,” regrets Mr. Mohan Kumar while talking to The Hindu.

According to him, after the 23rd km, the discharge should be around 65 cusecs but the flow is around 30 cusecs for about eight hours during the day, and 10 to 15 cusecs during the next eight hours and nil during the night. The Irrigation Department, with the help of police, has been patrolling the areas. It has also broken the pipes used by illegal ayacutdars for siphoning water.

“After the 23rd km, the entire command area has become dry land since 1980. Nearly 1,000 families and 7,200 agricultural labourers are affected due to non-availability of water and have been leading a life of uncertainty,” he said.

Dharnas, demonstration, fast seeking release of water to the command area have become a routine. However, they have failed to draw any response from the government.

Mr. Mohan Kumar has a suggestion to overcome this chronic problem and hopes that the government comes to the rescue of the farmers. “The Tungabhadra river course is about three km away from the ayacut. The government should set up four lift irrigation schemes to draw water from the river and supply to the command area. We are ready to contribute 10 per cent of the cost of the lift irrigation schemes besides bearing the maintenance and recurring expenditure. We will put forth this suggestion before the Deputy Commissioner and other officials and hope for a favourable response from the government,” he said.

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