Ghummar irrigation diversion project in the tribal-dominated Gariaband district has made the paddy fields lush green even in the sweltering summer. The project, developed by the State Government on the Pairy river, the lifeline of the district, has fulfilled the 35-year-old dream of the farmers.
This project is said to be a great achievement of the State Government led by Chief Minister Raman Singh.
Under the scheme, 10-km left Bank Canal (lBC) construction has been completed this year.As a result, hundreds of farmers of the area were getting water for irrigation of about 308 hectare.
For the first time, the farmers of the region have taken summer season paddy crop, as Rabi crop. The double paddy crop has opened a new way of prosperity for the farmers that made their faces shining.
Pairy-Ghummar diversion scheme constructed on the Pairy River near Chikhli village is about 18-km downstream of Sikasar Dam and 25-km away from the district headquarters. From the lBC about 2,000 hectare areas of 17 villages could be irrigated.
During this rabi season, water was released for summer season paddy cultivation in 308 hectare area in Chikhli, Haathbai and Gargatti-Parsuli villages.
In the next Kharif season, irrigation facility will be extended to total 500-hectare areas. Pairy-Ghummar diversion was sanctioned in 1978, during the undivided Madhya Pradesh. But the work on it had been started in 2003.After forming government, chief minister Raman Singh had made provision of `9.65 crore for this much-awaited scheme.
Based on the revised estimate of the scheme, `15.27 crore was sanctioned in 2005 and `29.59 crore in 2010. With this amount, now the diversion scheme has been completed and canal construction work is in progress. With the completion of canals linked to Pairy-Ghummar diversion scheme, 2,000 hectare areas of 17 villages – Chikhli, Haathbai, Parsuli, Kosumbuda, Nagabuda, Pandaripani, Jhitridumar, Nagargaon, Kokadi, Patharmohda, Gariyaband, Bhilai, Majarkatta, Aamdi, Paragaon and Sadhouli – will be irrigated.