Pulwama, Oct 30: More than 12 years after the 2014 floods, farmers in Pulwama and Shopian are still awaiting restoration of a key irrigation siphon damaged during the deluge, forcing them to rely on an inadequate pumping system.
Located in Rakh village of Pulwama, the siphon carried water across the Ranbiara rivulet to agricultural fields in villages including Rakh, Zahid Bagh, Darbagh, Naina, Batpora and Watchi. Its destruction disrupted irrigation supplies, affecting farm productivity for years.
Farmers said repeated appeals for reconstruction have gone unheeded. With the next agricultural season five to six months away, they have renewed their demand for immediate restoration.
“The siphon has remained damaged since the 2014 floods. Our fields continue to suffer due to inadequate water supply,” farmers said.
They said parts of the canal network have fallen into disuse, while the temporary pumping arrangement has proved unreliable.
Abdul Rashid, a farmer from Batpora, said the system depends on erratic electricity and often fails to supply enough water to distant fields.
“We need a permanent solution, not temporary arrangements,” he said.
Another farmer, Shabir Ahmad of Zahid Bagh, said authorities have offered assurances for years without visible progress.
Farmers said restoring the siphon would revive the original irrigation network, ensure a dependable water supply and reduce dependence on electricity-driven pumps.
An Irrigation and Flood Control Department official acknowledged the delay, saying a project for reconstruction of the siphon and restoration of the canal network had been prepared but could not be executed due to certain issues.
“The matter is being pursued and work is expected to commence soon,” the official said, adding that pumping stations are being used as an interim measure—(KNO)
