BARGARH: Farmers on Monday urged the district administration to extend water release from the Bargarh main canal by at least 20 days. The request comes after the administration issued a notice announcing closure of the canal from April 31 to June 30 for maintenance works.
The farmers under the banner of Sanjukta Krushak Sangathan (SKS) submitted a memorandum to the Bargarh collector, stating that stopping canal water supply could result in crop loss across large parts of the district.
They pointed out that delayed kharif paddy procurement pushed many farmers to take up rabi cultivation late. The harvesting is likely to be delayed by 15-20 days, especially in areas where machine transplantation was used. If canal water supply is halted now, vast agricultural areas in Barpali and Bheden blocks are likely to face severe impact.
Acknowledging the long-term benefits of canal maintenance, the farmers stressed that the timing of the closure could impact crops this season. They informed that only 20-50 per cent of the paddy has reached the harvest stage, while a significant portion remains in the grain-filling phase, requiring irrigation for another 15-20 days.
Advisor of SKS Ramesh Mahapatra said, “We acknowledge the administration’s decision to repair canals for long-term benefits. But at present, standing crops urgently need water. Stopping water supply now will cause heavy losses to farmers. We have requested that the supply be continued for 20 more days to safeguard the crops.”
The farmers urged the administration to take immediate steps to prevent avoidable losses and align maintenance schedules with ground realities.