BHAWANIPATNA: Farmers of Talmala and Atigaon panchayats blocked the Hati river bridge on National Highway-26 near Junagarh on Thursday protesting lack of irrigation water.
Farmers of 15 villages under the two panchayats staged dharna and alleged that despite paying taxes, they have been deprived of getting irrigation water from Indravati Left canal during both rabi and kharif seasons. Sarpanch of Talmala Dusila Majhi and his counterpart in Atigaon Himadri Majhi said as the villages are located in tail end of the canal, water for both rabi and kharif seasons does not reach the agriculture lands. The problem has been continuing since inception of the canal in 1993.
Due to the blockade, vehicular movement on NH-26 was stalled from 8 am to 3 pm. The agitators called off the stir after an assurance by tehsildar of Junagarh Upendra Luha to inquire into the matter and do the needful. However, the farmers demanded refund of the water tax collected so far by revenue officials and action against Indravati project officials.