JEYPORE: Lack of coordination between Upper Kolab Irrigation Project officials and pani panchayats (PPs) is set to hit Kharif agriculture activities in the district as farmers are unaware of the irrigation plan for the season. The Upper Kolab project irrigates over 42,000 hectare (ha) of land across Jeypore, Kotpad, Borrigumma and Kundra in Kharif season every year. Officials are supposed to take feedback from different PPs and accordingly schedule the release of water through canals as per farmers’ requirements. But farmers have alleged that irrigation officials have released water without any discussion with the PPs.
As a result, they are clueless about the water release period in sub and main canals and are unable to plan their seed sowing and transplantation activities. “The irrigation schedule used to be circulated among PPs in the previous years. This year we are in the dark as no information on irrigation schedule has been made available,” leader of Majurmunda PP Rajesh Madala alleged.