MAHWA/AMRITSAR : Prominent farmer leaders from the Majha region convened at the border village of Mahawa on Thursday, under the banners of the Border Area Sangarsh Committee (BASC) and Jamhuri Kissan Sabha (JKS) to engage in discussions surrounding the alarming decline in groundwater levels and express their profound concerns regarding the dire situation.
They unequivocally demanded that Punjab’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government should take immediate action to ensure the equitable distribution of canal water, reaching every field for irrigation purposes.
Subsequent to their crucial deliberations, the leaders of BASC and JKS held gatherings in major border villages, culminating at Amritsar where they staged a dharna.
While attracting the attention of chief minister Bhagwant Mann, to their issues, the farmer leaders vehemently articulated their demands and stressed to have an urgent need for resolution.
Rattan Singh Randhawa, general secretary, BASC, emphasized the urgent need for the government to acknowledge the concerns raised by farmers and take necessary action. He highlighted the critical situation at hand, stating that farmers could no longer rely on groundwater for an extended period.
"With the rapid pace of depletion of groundwater resources, there is an estimated timeframe of only 13 to 14 years for the farmers to have the luxury of groundwater," said Randhawa adding that it was imperative for the government to act promptly and employ all available measures to safeguard underground water.
President of JKS, Dr Satnam Singh Ajnala suggested that the most viable solution lies in utilizing canal waters effectively,. He also necessitated the need for strengthening of the canal irrigation system.
"This, in turn, will ensure that every single field receives an adequate supply of canal water for irrigation purposes", said Ajnala.
Mukhtar Singh Mahawa, another prominent farmer leader, raised a crucial concern regarding the use of saline water for irrigation in the "khara majha" region. He specifically highlighted the fields in the Khemkaran sector, where the presence of saline water has been detrimental to both crop yield and the overall quality of produce.
Mahawa expressed the need for the government to intervene and ensure that every thousand acres of fields receive an increased allocation of 7.5 cusecs of water, as opposed to the current provision of 6.15 cusecs. By addressing this pressing issue, the government could effectively enhance agricultural productivity and safeguard the quality of crops in the region, said Mahwa.
Later, the farmers and their families held a demonstration in Amritsar to voice their concerns and amplify their demands. Farmers also issued a stern warning, emphasizing their readiness to initiate renewed agitation if their demands were not promptly addressed and met by the government.
