JEYPORE: Farmers in the Upper Kolab irrigation ayacut areas, particularly in Jeypore sub-division, are facing uncertainty due to the non-confirmation of a specific irrigation schedule for the upcoming rabi season. However, the Kolab Irrigation division in Jeypore confirmed release of water on January 1.
Despite the resolution made during an Apex committee meeting at Borigumma on November 20, where it was decided to release water for the rabi season covering 25,700 hectare of land from January 1, the lack of communication caused distress among farmers. Normally, authorities are expected to inform pani panchayat headquarters in advance about the scheduled irrigation date, allowing farmers to prepare for cultivation.
However, as of now, pani panchayats have not received any information about the water release date in their ayacut limits. Adding to the confusion, conflicting dates of January 1 and January 5 are circulating in the village areas, leaving farmers anxious about the uncertainty of the water schedule for their croplands.
Pani panchayat leaders expressed frustration, stating they cannot inform farmers without receiving direct communication from project authorities regarding the irrigation water schedule. Pani panchayat leader of Jeypore, Sahin Paricha, said, “How can we inform our farmers when we have no communication directly from the project authorities over irrigation water schedule?”
Secretary of the Upper Kolab Apex Committee MM Patnaik suggested that the resolution on water release during the meeting should be disseminated to all pani panchayats for further information and activities involving local farmers.
Official sources from the Kolab Irrigation division in Jeypore claimed that water will be released on the main canal from January 1. Assistant executive engineer of the department, PK Gouda, reiterated that the water release schedule has already been published in newspapers for the information of the farming community.The Upper Kolab project encompasses nine distributary committees and 96 pani panchayats spanning across Jeypore, Kotpad, Borrigumma, and Kundra blocks.