A crisis can be turned into an opportunity if sincere efforts are made. Odisha is a regular victim of cyclone, flood and drought. If we try with our available means, we will certainly get a remedy.
Let us take the case of cyclone, which is ocean- related. Every cyclone follows heavy rain, creating havoc in the State. There is little infrastructural development for harvesting such rain water in our State, which is almost going waste.
Given our topography, soil and crop pattern, our failure to harvest rain water and use the same for irrigation during the time of need is unfortunate. Without development in land pattern and irrigation in almost two third of lands in the State, implementing the much hyped Kurshak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation (KALIA) scheme will have no impact.
The Government should record the total outcome of productions of all crops in current crop year, 2019-2020 since the KALIA scheme is implemented. The financial assistance to peasants and small crop raisers is good, but side by side, the farming infrastructure should kept ready for proper cultivation of crops.
Almost two-third of land of the State is either upland or hilly terrains and non-irrigated and exposed to aridity and drought prone. There are ample chances with us to develop these lands for cultivations with rain water conservation, management of rain water, soil culture and land pattern.
We should remember that these are rain-fed areas and hilly terrains. But there are chances for small scale irrigation projects everywhere in our State, especially in hilly lands of south- western, north-western and north-eastern lands. In our State, the catchment area of every water channels and springs including all water sources should be properly managed.
Similarly, the hilly lands should be scientifically operated for proper and intensive cultivations. All the contoured and uphill lands should be bench-terraced for conservation of moisture and prevention of soil erosion. The soil erosion and landslides are main problem in hilly lands.
The improved land use practices should be demonstrated to the cultivators for proper uses of rain water, and conservation of soil moisture. The soil moisture conservation is the main problem in the hilly terrain.
It is not within the financial capacity of the poor peasants and small scale land users for proper development of agricultural lands. Again, small irrigation projects should be established, where ever possible and practicable for harvesting rain water during rainy season.
Another problem is electricity. Lift irrigation projects without electricity are worthless. There is a separate department, called the Lift Irrigation Department, to work for the interest of the agriculturists. All defunct LI points need to be renovated and reactivated so that irrigation can be provided to all kinds of lands.
Crop productions depend on wetland management. The wetland management is directly linked with sub-soil water table. The sub-soil water table is recharged due to wetlands and their potentiality to keep water.
The potentiality of wetlands also depends on sub-soil water system which is recharged by rain water. So, the harvesting of rainwater by natural process depends on vegetation covers.
The flora and fauna in the wetlands suffer very much due to unprincipled use of wetlands. We can take the case of Mahanadi.
The river is a major wetland of Chhattisgarh and Odisha. Both the States depend heavily on water resources of the Mahanadi and its branches and its tributaries.
As per information, the Government of Chhattisgarh established 2,365 water harvesting projects and there are 1,802 projects under proposal to be established along the river. The Government of India during 2003-2016, accorded permission to establish 15 mega and medium water harvesting projects along the river in Chhattisgarh. It means the whole water course will be monopolised by the Chhattisgarh State with due approval of the Centre.
The State Government of Odisha should establish similar number of water harvesting projects along the river as a means to provide irrigation, drinking water and control flood. But at the same time, there should be a concern for the mangrove eco-systems of the river, including that of the Chilika lagoon. If the Mahanadi wetland is dried, it will lead to an alarming situation.
As per information, the State Government has planned to create 30 ponds –cum – barrages along the Mahanadi river for storage of water for multipurpose uses. The anicuts with flood water reservoirs are badly required for irrigation cum other purposes at vulnerable points.
The water management of each river and rivulet is the task of the State Government. There is no dearth of technical expertise in the State for water management. All that is needed is will power.
It has been proposed to establish two water control structures in Kuakhai river, which is a sub-branch of Mahanadi. Rs 9724. 86 crore been sanctioned by the State Government for installation of such water control structures of river. Pisciculture can be carried out in all rivers of the State if water reservoirs cum barrages and annicuts are established.
Every day, hundreds of tons of bio-degradable and non biodegradable garbage are collected from each city, town and other urban and non urban areas. They need proper and purposeful utilizations. The bio-degradable garbage can be turned into cattle feeds and feeds for pisciculture. The pisciculture in our State is very poor.
No proper administrative efforts are taken for efficient management of the pisciculture. We have various sources for improvement of pisciculture. We have enough river and wetland resources for fish farming. We should make proper utilization of the same. We have also ample resources for improvement of poultry in our State but we are not utilizing the same. Our village youngsters should be trained in the line.
Drought has been a permanent ally of the people of the State. Invariably, the people of the State are facing drought and aridity due to scanty rainfall. The monsoon becomes weak in every alternate year. There are thousands of vulnerable points along the foot hills of Eastern Ghat and other hills and hillocks of the State.
In the uplands and in hill slopes, only three sides embankments are required. Through three sides embankments, water can be well preserved for multipurpose uses. During the eighties, such attempts were taken for preservation of water in drought prone areas in western and southern circles of Odisha, but such work was stopped due to corruption in the scheme. The drought-prone scheme became a failure due to mismanagements. Now the Government of Odisha can revive the scheme efficiently, because now there is no dearth of money for such work.
(The writer is a former forest officer and an environmentalist. nadiya.kanungo@gamil.com Mob: 9937460649)