DHENKANAL: Making the best out of waste, plant lover Jayaguru Patra of Bhuban block has developed an innovative system of drip irrigation that reuses saline pipes, an innovation which has earned him plaudits from agriculturists and horticulturists.The 45-year-old Patra has been successfully using waste saline pipes for drip irrigation of plants which have short and long gestation periods, including vegetables and flower plants in Nigamananda Udyan, a community area in Bhuban.
Involving minimum water usage and low cost investment, Patra credits pandemic lockdown for pushing him into this innovation.“I first used a half inch wiring pipe at my home garden and used saline pipes for drip irrigation connected to an overhead water tank to alternate between slow and speed watering for different plants for a month. After I achieved success, I planted 57 varieties of plants including ashwagandha, cinnamon, agasthi and ashok, and other flowering and fruit-bearing plants at Nigamananda Udyan and it’s been six months that I have been watering them using this system,” said Patra.
This method of drip irrigation could help poor farmers grow vegetables on a commercial basis and promote kitchen gardens since the government-sponsored drip irrigation facility is very expensive and involves high maintenance cost. Patra uses organic manure as fertiliser for these plants. Farmers of various blocks have been visiting the garden out of curiosity to know more about saline pipe system of irrigation, informed Pravat Kumar Kanar, Ward-1 President of Bhuban NAC.