30 Palwal villages face water shortage

Tribune News Service

Bijendra Ahlawat

Palwal, May 18

With scorching heat and dry weather conditions prevail in the region, over 30 villages in the district are facing shortage of drinking and irrigation water, say sources.

According to residents of some of the affected villages, while drinking water crisis is mainly linked to shortage of power supply, fields in a large number of villages have been lying parched, resulting in damage to fodder crops such as jowar.

Groundwater brackish

Shortage of drinking water can affect at least 30 to 35 villages in the district in view of the groundwater being brackish and unavailability of alternative sources. Water received from the Agra Canal is also unfit for drinking purposes. An Agri Dept official

“Fields need to be irrigated to prepare them for early varieties of crops which have been sown or due to be sown,” said Raj Kumar Ohlyan, Palwal Block Samiti member.

Several villages in the region face drinking water crisis, he says, adding that only one of the three tubewells is operational in Gughera village, resulting in the problem.

“A project of supplying drinking water through the Ranneywell project, launched four years ago, for many villages is still lying incomplete, making the residents suffer,” said Dharam Chand, Kisan Sabha district president.

“Villages like Hathin, Malai, Dhingdaka, Sapanki, Gharont, Buraka, Janacholi, Gadi Binoda, Khokiaka, Pancknaka, Rupraka, Jainpur, Utawar and Maluka in Hathin sub-division are among those, with parched fields and face drinking water crisis,” said the sources in the Agriculture Department.

Besides seasonal rain, farmers in many villages are dependent on water from the Agra Canal for irrigation. “As the sowing of Kharif crops such as cotton, jowar and moong (pulse) has either been on or completed, unavailability of water for irrigation poses is a threat to the crops,” says Amar Singh, another farmer.

“Shortage of drinking water can affect at least 30 to 35 villages in the district in view of the groundwater being brackish and unavailability of alternative sources,” said an official on the condition of anonymity, who added that water received from the Agra Canal was unfit for drinking purposes.

“The department is yet to receive a complaint regarding the damage to crops due to shortage of irrigation water,” says SP Garg, Executive Engineer, Irrigation. Officials of the Public Health Department, which ensures drinking water supply in rural areas, remained unavailable for their version.

About The Author

Tribune News Service

The Tribune News Service brings you the latest news, analysis and insights from the region, India and around the world. Follow the Tribune News Service for a wide-ranging coverage of events as they unfold, with perspective and clarity.

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.