More than 25 lift Irrigation (lI) points out of 39 lI oints were lying defunct at the flood prone luna-Karandia island under Patkura Assembly constituency, hitting the farmers hard.
locals alleged that though they have umpteen times brought the matter before the district Collector and the concerned authority of the lift Irrigation department to repair all the defunct lI points, but in vain. As a result, the farmers are facing a lot of problems to irrigate their lands.
According to locals, since last several years the lI points were lying dysfunctional. Though the issue figured at the Pani Panchayat meetings, but no tangible results were found.
lI Executive Engineer Himadri Sekhar Ray stated that in luna-Karandia island more than seventy per cent of lI points were lying defunct. The reason behind it is that as per the location of the area, every year it faces Nature’s hazards like flood and changing of river course. Ray admitted that after 2007-08 flood, 35 lI points out of 39 lI points were defunct. later steps were taken for running several lI points (Pakhat -2, Pakhat-3, Pakahat-4 and Nankar-1) with the funds of the State Relief Commission(SRC) whereas Sisua-1 lI points has been repaired under Flood Damage Restoration fund. Similarly, the defunct lI points of Jalapak-1, Jalapak-3, and Karandiapatana-1. Karandiapatana-2 and Dihabalarampur-2 have been repaired under Biju Krushak Bikas Yojana, a couple of years back. But still 25 lI points in the area are lying defunct.
While 3 lI points (Purusottampur-1, Dihajalapak-1 and Nankar-4) were been lying defunct due to some minor electrical problems, Jalapak-2 lI point has been lying defunct after some miscreants stole electricity wire. Five lI points cannot be repaired, whereas lI points of Srutipur-1 and 2 and Ayetapur-3 are lying dysfunctional due to river changing its course.
According to Ray, though steps have been taken for renovation and repair of defunct lI points, but due to regular natural calamity, changing of rivers course, and changing of agriculture land to homestead lands, the repairs works have been stalled.
Notably, the State Government stopped providing funds for the maintenance and repair of the lI points after the Pani Panchayat was introduced in the State in 2003 and the State Government entrusted the Pani Panchayat for operation, maintenance and payment of electricity bills.
Steps are being taken to renovate some of the lI points in the district in the current financial year and all the defunct lI points will be repaired phase wise, added Ray.