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| Both skies, ground ditch Haryana |
| Komal Amit Gera / Chandigarh Aug 17, 2009, 01:18 IST |
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The farmers in Haryana are in a quandary. Even as the deficient rains have stalled their sowing operations, the escalating cost of getting water from other sources is threatening their plans to irrigate the fields.
According to the assessment made by Haryana’s Directorate of Agriculture, rainfall for the April 1-August 5 period has seen a shortfall of 49.1 per cent compared with the same period last year. The state’s agriculture department officials say four districts — Sirsa (-91.2 per cent), Bhiwani (-66.6 per cent), Hisar (-62.7 per cent) and Fatehabad (-43.9 per cent)— and parts of Rohtak, Panipat, Jind and Panchkula districts, have received very little rainfall and are facing a drought-like situation.
All kharif crops in the state, except cotton, have failed to meet the sowing target this year. Sources in the agriculture department said over 27 per cent of the sown area had already suffered 50 per cent damage.
According to Rashtriya Kisan Sangathan vice-president Gurcharan Singh Thind, crop production in the irrigated areas would not get affected much, though the farmers were paying through their nose to run the tubewells and banking on the government to raise the bonus on minimum support price for paddy. The falling water table in the state means more requirement of power to get the groundwater for the fields.
Roop Singh, a farmer in Kaithal, said the total productivity in the irrigated area might go up as less moisture helped in containing the diseases. The crop was getting adequate water from irrigation and sunlight due to less rain. “The more the sunlight, the better and pest-free crop we get,” he added.
But the rainfed pockets are certainly affected. The farmers here say the output could come down by as much as 25 per cent.
However, they are planning to sow alternative crops in September, like oilseeds and vegetables if the rains do not come by the first week of September.
The major kharif crops in Haryana are sugarcane, cotton, paddy, jowar, maize, bajra, kharif pulses, kharif oilseeds and guar. The area under cultivation last season till August 5 was 2.83 million hectares, while it was 2.66 million hectares till August 5, 2009.
State to approach Centre for aid
Haryana is all set to approach the Government of India for assistance to combat the impact of monsoon failure. Various department heads are working overtime to compile the statistical update to be presented to the Centre.
According to sources, the estimated loss to the state, and thereby the demand for compensation, would run into thousands of crores of rupees.
With the state going to Assembly elections by this year-end, the government is more than eager to protect the interests of the farming community.
A compensation of Rs 1,000 crore for the power utilities has also been demanded by the chief minister as the utilities have already incurred an additional expenditure of Rs 997 crore in arranging power for agriculture this kharif season.
The state has also demanded a bonus of Rs 100 per quintal over and above the MSP for paddy and a bonus of Rs 50 per quintal over and above the MSP for bajra.
A senior official said a farmer who loses over 50 per cent of his crop was eligible for compensation at the rate of Rs 2,700 per acre for wheat, paddy and cotton, and Rs 2,100 per acre for other crops.
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