The Essence
Roads and Water in Farming - learning from a farmer
At the Morni Hills, District Panchkula, at Dhanan
Village we met Shri Hem Ram, a progressive farmer from village Chaplana. A
rather steep and uncomfortable rough bumpy hewn road leads to his village.
He owns five bighas of land down an incline which is
relatively less steep. And cultivates tomatoes chiefly, as also ginger and
coriander and turmeric. Till 2014 he and his brother could extract 180 crates
of tomato - one crate contains 25 kgs. Then came a proper macadam road leading
through the hills and the steep road connecting from it to his village was also
carved out, the villagers also contributed for it. Then came assistance for the
proper conveyance of water, I was in service then at Chandigarh though he does
not know it. Dr SS Grewal, known watershed expert and Director SPACE had then
proposed a small grant based project for simply repairing the traditional Kuhl
(flow irrigation scheme) and protecting the spring shed and leading to a small
concrete tank to store the water from where further sub channels were made and
also pipes could be laid. It was simple GI Pipes. Only the material was paid
for, the tough task of taking the pipes down to the spring, along the slope etc
was by the villagers. This was completed and The water supply is very much
there now. Alongside extension services were provided by SPACE, mainly on
progressive agricultural practices. As per Hem Ram, the two brothers now manage
3000 to 3200 crates a year of tomatoes. Alongside, his wife works or has a
minor political position and is aware and they leveraged that to manage a drip
and sprinkler irrigation set and a power tiller with sone subsidy. He invested
plus Rs one lakh. As per his assessment, he earns Rs 700/- on an average per crate
and on better weeks or days Rs 1000/- a crate. All transportation is by old
Bolero pick ups to the markets where commission agents take over. He says most
farmers you met today seek assistance and guidance consistently but I have
carved out my own identity and path by learning and applying it and then
modifying the process and I have guided my brother too. This spirit and thought
process he says is much required. Among all farmers. The main concerns are wild
animals and protection from them. Plus the protection of dense forests on the
hills to keep the springs working with adequate discharge. And the sheer
differential of the rate he gets from the retail price but he says u have come
a long way.
It was a pleasure for me
to have had this conversation with him. And it also proves the importance of
roads cum water cum sound extension. Small initiatives pay ! Always
The irrigation system i.e. large canals and large Dams are now proving short term (Short term in the comparative sense) non efficient systems. Major Rivers are dying or impacted very adversely because of the water diverted to canals and the resultant low speed is causing sedimentation and meandering. The old system of recharge of water tables, water harvesting and small dams cum smaller networks is highly effective due to limited evaporation loss, no land required, no contamination etc. Sir Arthur Cotton was a cult figure in AP though for bringing in agricultural prosperity to Godavari district. M Vishweswarayya and K L Rao carried forward the legacy pan India.
Sir Cotton is a very respected figure..because he brought irrigation
system to AP.
The people were so fond of him that a temple is there in his honour
And they (many of the British) picked up the language, Specially Military
Men but also Civil servants and surveyors too. CP Brown, a civil servant was a
Telugu litterateur who brought out an authoritative Telugu-English dictionary
in 18th century used till date.
ISPER Panchkula, which works extensively in the lower
areas of the Shivaliks, organised recently a seminar on the occasion of the
World Environment Day. on Climate Change, Water and the process of adaptation.
I personally am of the view that unless local communities enhance their
awareness levels and their right to afforestation, better water resources
management, protection of bio diversity and proceed for field bunding and tree
cover by themselves as also learn the virtue of organising themselves, we are on
a sticky wicket. The Shivaliks are being denuded but not a word In protest is
there. Plus Agritech is still to make its presence felt in water management.
This is a crucial gap in the effective management of water and productive
agriculture. Morni Hills and the general area of Shivaliks needs major
initiatives to conserve their bio diversity. As it is the species of trees
found earlier are not found now. The rich forest cover in the Morni area has
enabled the availability of perennial springs, now it’s a concern. The
Springsheds need protection measures. That would be of benefit to the larger
sub region too. And Kuhl’s (flow irrigation systems) also require strengthening
along with better development of watersheds. It impacts farm incomes
positively.
IiSPER had Shri JP
Singh, 72 years Young, an expert on sub surface drainage systems and on
watersheds. I have high respect for his professional acumen. His field work is
exemplary. He is still at it. He and Dr SS Grewal (74 years young) of SPACE
(Sukhomajri fame) have just not been accorded the required professional
recognition by the local media here. They can guide effectively. Just a
thought.
The tragedy at Waynad
A horrific tragedy at Wayanad Kerala and it’s nearly 200 lives lost and
hundreds more impacted by the loss of farmland, houses and shops., this is a
really picturesque area and a must see for travellers but too much tourism and
too much damage to the fragile ecology has ultimately led to a disaster. One
can only pray for the people so impacted there. I am adding the perspective of
a retired colleague on this issue. We have to maybe legislate to protect the
Western Ghats.
Have a look at the geomorphology of the area
In steep hills and rolling landscape where plantation has been taken up
across the slopes, soil erosion will take place in the laterite terrain of wooded hilly areas
When high intensity heavy rainfall infiltrates into the sponge like iron
bearing laterite soils and weathered rocks wherever the root zone is not
binding the soil the hydrostatic pressure will induce landslides along the
valley portions
If rock quarrying has been done on the high lands the water accumulated
during the heavy showers will bring down soil, rock and impounded water with
high velocity and such landslides as we have witnessed today in Meppady are
disastrous.
572 mm rainfall in an ecologically fragile mountainous area with more
than 30 per cent slope and unscientific plantation against the slope and mostly
not along contours will not be able to withstand the hydraulic pressure in the
substratum of laterite,lithomarge and weathered rocks unless we realise now
atleast and desist from the present practices and quarrying for rocks on the
high ranges
The exhortation to Govt., policy makers, local bodies ,farmers and
inhabitants in these ecologically fragile areas of our western ghats have gone
into deaf years and minds and with climate change and very heavy cloud burst
and intense precipitation, such incidents are bound to recur
While prayers for those who are victims and suffering now are everyone's
wish and duty ,drastic change in our attitude to natural resource preservation
and management is called for. And legislation.
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