Farmers in Sarupathar Face Drought Challenges Amid Monsoon Season
Drought Strikes Sarupathar Farmers
Farmers were seen sitting helplessly in their fields as they waited for rain
Jorhat, July 18: Despite the arrival of the monsoon season, farmers in the Sarupathar subdivision of Golaghat are still anxiously waiting for rain to save their crops.
Instead of flourishing green fields, large areas of farmland are now dry, with deep fissures forming in the soil due to a severe drought affecting the region.
Reports indicate that over 50,000 hectares of agricultural land in this subdivision have been impacted by the ongoing dry conditions.
Frustrated farmers have expressed their disappointment, stating that their repeated requests for assistance from authorities have yielded little to no results.
One farmer lamented, "This is truly unfortunate. We encountered a similar situation last year, yet the government did not implement effective solutions. We have been informed that the current irrigation system is malfunctioning. Our paddy seedlings are withering and nearly burnt. We urge the government to establish proper irrigation facilities in our villages."
Although there are 36 major and minor irrigation schemes in the subdivision, a senior official from the Sarupathar Irrigation Department confirmed that no operators have been officially designated to manage the irrigation pumps.
"In spite of the drought, the Irrigation Department is doing everything possible to assist farmers. All 36 irrigation schemes are operational, and water is being supplied daily through these projects. However, there are no officially appointed operators. The individuals currently managing the pumps are unauthorized and have been allowed to do so due to the urgent needs of the farmers," the official stated.
The official further mentioned that this issue has been repeatedly communicated to the government.
"We have notified the government multiple times, but no action has been taken thus far. All 36 pumps are functioning without authorized operators," he added.
According to official statistics, Sarupathar subdivision has approximately 36,000 hectares dedicated to paddy cultivation, yet irrigation facilities only cover 978 hectares, leaving the vast majority of farmland reliant on rainfall.
"It is challenging to determine the precise amount of farmland lacking irrigation, but efforts are underway to enhance irrigation coverage. The goal is to ensure that one irrigation facility serves about every 3,559 hectares of farmland," the official concluded.
With minimal rainfall and limited irrigation resources, farmers are facing an uncertain agricultural season, fearing significant crop losses if the dry conditions continue. Many were observed sitting helplessly in their fields, hoping for rain.
As immediate solutions remain elusive, the residents of Sarupathar continue to hope for timely rainfall that could still salvage the paddy crop this season.