‘Groundwater in state’s 71 blocks overexploited, 15 areas critical’
: Haryana agriculture minister OP Dhankar on Friday said Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) had notified 21 blocks to regulate groundwater development in Haryana as there were 71 overexploited, 15 critical, seven semi-critical and 23 safe blocks in the state.
Replying to a calling-attention motion of INLD and Congress MLAs on the concluding day of budget session of Vidhan Sabha, he said according to rough estimates, about 3,67,126 hectares in the state was affected with the problem of soil salinity and waterlogging out of which about 52,067 hectares were critical. He said most affected areas fell in Rohtak, Jhajjar, Bhiwani and Sonepat, followed by Hisar, Jind, Fatehabad, Sirsa and Palwal districts.
Haryana is on the forefront of implementation of sub-surface drainage system for reclamation of waterlogged and saline lands. He said the sub surface drainage system was well recognised as an effective technology for reclamation of waterlogged and saline soils and 10,584 hectares had been reclaimed with the technology covering 7,502 beneficiaries till date.
It was estimated that about 85,000 hectares affected with alkalinity in Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Karnal, Panipat, Sonepat and Jind were still required to be reclaimed.
SPECIAL SURVEY ON: DHANKAR
On being pointed out by several Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and Congress MLAs, Dhankar said as crops had recently been damaged in some areas due to hailstorm, a special mapping will be conducted in areas covered by Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna. He said he had already ordered girdawari (special survey) in areas which were not insured under this scheme to assess the damage caused to the crops.
INLD WALKS OUT OVER SURJEWALA ENTRY
CHANDIGARH: The INLD MLAs on Friday staged a walkout in protest against BJP’s permission to Congress MLA Randeep Surjewala to sit in the assembly despite his, what they termed as, “anti-Haryana stand” on the SYL Canal issue on Thursday.
Leader of opposition Abhay Chautala said that he was shocked to see how the BJP government allowed Surjewala to sit in the House despite his “stand against Haryana on the SYL canal issue’’.