Farmers in Sonamura allege crop loss due to lack of irrigation

Farmers in two villages under Sonamura subdivision of Sepahijala district have alleged that nearly 200 kani of agricultural land remained uncultivated this rabi season due to lack of irrigation.

The affected villages — Rangamatia and Khedabari under Nalchar block — depend largely on irrigation from the Gomati river for cultivation of rabi crops and boro paddy.

According to local farmers, failure to supply irrigation water this season has made it impossible to grow winter vegetables or transplant boro paddy seedlings. They alleged that despite repeated appeals to the panchayat authorities and officials of the minor irrigation department, no steps were taken to ensure water supply to the fields.

Leaders of AIKS, an affiliate of the CPIM, visited the two villages on Wednesday and inspected the croplands. They also visited the irrigation pump installations along the Gomati river, which they claimed were lying defunct.

Ratan Das, president of the farmers’ body in Sonamura subdivision, said many families in the two villages are dependent on agriculture as their primary source of income. He alleged that in previous years, water was regularly lifted from the river through pump houses and supplied to the fields as required, enabling farmers to cultivate seasonal crops.

“This year, the pumps have not been made operational despite requests, and farmers have suffered losses,” he said, adding that the organisation would launch a larger agitation across the subdivision if irrigation is not restored within the next few days.

The farmers’ body also alleged that representations to the concerned department had not yielded results.

There was no immediate response from officials of the irrigation department on the allegations.