Birsa Agricultural University Ranchi’s Zonal Research Centre in Palamu’s Chiyanki suffers from acute water scarcity. Here such is the crisis of water that affects the course of research even. March to June months are the most painful ones here.
Speaking to The Pioneer, a scientist at Zonal Research Centre of the university Ranchi Dr Anil Kumar said, “The water scarcity hits here so badly that plants / trees here are watered by water from the tankers. We press two tankers for such watering otherwise every thing will go upset here.”
Anil Kumar said there is a 10 acre of citrus orchard in this research centre where too water management is our top priority. Here water from mobile tankers is reached he added.
Asked if Palamu can produce citrus fruit like lemon orange grape fruit etc this scientist said there is a plenty of scope for the production of citrus fruits here.
He mentioned a farmer at village Gankey who is growing citrus fruits and is increasing his monthly/annual income.
lemon comes here from Andhra Pradesh and in high summer one lemon is sold for rupees three to four! It is a good business selling lemons in hot summer here.
Kumar reiterated that if farmers of Palamu learn the art of cultivation of citrus fruits their economy will surely boost up.
Kumar showed an orange tree laden with oranges to this correspondent in his official quarter in Chiyanki saying Palamu has great potential for orange cultivation and it can produce oranges which will put a competition to the marketing of oranges here which come from Nagpur and Punjab and Haryana also.