Water Management Must For Irrigation

Jaideep Rehan

Generally 70% of annual rain water falls in monsoon season in Himachal Pradesh and meets plain areas and seas through rivers and rivulets. Availability of rain water is quite different due to unlike rain distribution all across the state. About 80% of agricultural land in Himachal is rain fed.

Majority of land in Himachal is mountainous and due to tough geographical conditions only one fifth part of it is irrigated despite ample amount of water available. Due to these factors, experts believe that even water rich hill state like Himachal also is not free from fear of drought. According to information about 700mm to 1000 mm rain falls in Bilaspur, Una, Kullu and Solan district while rest of the districts experiences 1000mm to 1500 mm rainfall.

Scientists consider kuhls to be an important prospect for Himachal for irrigation system. But according to figures 20% to 40% of water lifted or discharged to sources through kachhi kuhls goes waste due to leakage and seepage.

They therefore considers it paramount to have appropriate agriculture water management to save crops from drought like situation in hill state. Scientists consider that water availability for agriculture can be increased by proper maintenance of different water resources so that much needed water can be supplied during crop cycle and production can be increased.

The Prevailing Conditions…

Out of a total of 55.67 lakh hectare geographical area of Himachal, only 5.83 lakh hectare is purely farmed one. It is estimated that the irrigation capability of Himachal is close to about 3.35 lakh hectares of land. Out of it, 0.50 lakh hectare of land can be brought under major and medium irrigation projects. Rest 2.85 lakh hectare of land can be brought under micro irrigation projects. According to information 2.71 lakh hectares of land was provided irrigation facility by December 2017.

* Taking appropriate steps in direction of water management is necessary besides making people aware about this grave issue. Better water management plan will help in countering future water shortage problem

-Prof. Ashok Kumar Sariyal,   

 Vice Chancellor, CSK Himachal Pradesh Agriculture University, Palampur

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