Work to reclaim waterlogged land gathers pace in Haryana
CHANDIGARH: Six months ago, chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar had informed the assembly about a new scheme being drawn up for overcoming the waterlogging issue plaguing agricultural fields. It was the slow pace of the previous reclamation project, launched in 1996 to make waterlogged land fit for cultivation, which had prompted the government to act fast.
Over the past 26 years, approximately 1,200 acre waterlogged or saline soil was treated every year under the previous project, and around 30,000-acre waterlogged area was reclaimed after spending ₹100 crore, as per official data.
Under the newly formulated plan, the agriculture and farmers welfare department has set a target to reclaim around 20,000 acres this year alone. The machine-driven task is already in an advance stage across 12,000 acres spread across five districts. The estimated cost for reclaiming 20,000 acres has been pegged at around ₹30 crore.
The twin troubles of water logging and soil salinity have rendered vast chunks of agricultural fields in Haryana uncultivable. A recent survey had revealed that at least 1.8 lakh acre land has been severely affected in Sonepat, Rohtak, Jhajjar and Charkhi Dadri districts, while around 9.82-lakh acres are facing waterlogging and salinity issues across the state. Khattar had said that initially the government will focus on 1-lakh acre land affected by waterlogging.
Additional chief secretary (ACS-agriculture) Sumita Misra says against the previous pace of reclamation (1,200 acre per year), the new scheme has gained humongous momentum and around 20,000 acres will be reclaimed by the end of the financial year. “Waterlogging and soil salinity are major issues. The CM was keen to tackle the issues on a large scale. We held deliberations, prepared a strategy, repaired unused machines and went at it full throttle,” said Misra.
Initially, Haryana was banking on Punjab for hiring the required machines. However, the plan suffered a setback when the neighbouring state refused to provide the machines, despite fixing the charges, officials of the agriculture department said.
Technology and progress
A sub-surface drainage (SSD) system is used for reclaiming waterlogged saline lands. Under the system, PVC pipes are laid at a particular depth with the help of machines and saline water, which collects due to gravity, is then pumped out into adjoining surface drains.
It takes around two-three years of pumping to reclaim an affected area. The SSD system costs around ₹45,000. Farmers pay a fixed price,officials said.
Areas affected with marginal saline waterlogging problem are being treated using vertical drainage technology (shallow tubewell) and solar pumps are being operated for the same.
Around 15,000-20,000 acre area will be treated with this technique this year. The vertical drainage project is already underway in villages such as Ladwa, Satroad Kalan and Satroad Khurd for reclaiming 1,700 acre land.
As per official data, till June 21, reclamation work through vertical drainage technology was underway across 12,025 acres of five districts – Sirsa, Hisar, Bhiwani, Sonepat and Rohtak.
In four villages in Sirsa district, 3,225 acre is being treated, while in five villages of Hisar reclamation is under progress over 3,300 acres. The project is underway in Bhiwani district (600 acres) Sonipat (2,800 acres) and Rohtak (2,100 acre). The total cost will come to ₹18.27 crore with ₹15,190 the average cost per acre.
Officials said till June 21, work to reclaim 1,424 acres using SSD technology was at an advanced stage in Sonepat and Jind districts with₹ 43,000 the average cost per acre and total cost likely to be over ₹6 crore.
In six villages of Hisar, one village of Jhajjar and two villages of Rohtak, at least 8,335-acre area will be reclaimed this year through vertical drainage technologies, which will cost ₹10.42 crore.
How to apply?
Farmers whose land falls within the project area can apply online on the portal. The department decides contiguous areas (cluster of villages) where land reclamation activities are to be undertaken. At least 250 acre waterlogged and saline areas should be available in a cluster and consent of 100% beneficiaries is required.
Farmers opting for this scheme have to pay 20% of the total cost of the reclamation of waterlogged and saline soils, which is around ₹ 9,000 per acre in case of SSD and ₹7000 per acre in case of vertical drainage technology.
“There will be a phenomenal increase in the speed of reclamation this year,” Misra said.