Sikta Project provides irrigation facility in 17,000 hectares land

By Siraj Khan Nepalgunj, July 3: Banke’s farmers now don’t need to rely on rain water for irrigation purposes. The problem is now being gradually solved as water has started flowing from the canal of Sikta Irrigation Project.

Officials at Sikta Irrigation Project, a national pride project, informed that they have started allowing water to flow along the western canal and some part of eastern canal. 

“The water flowing along the canals hase supported irrigation in 17,000 hecatres of land in Banke. Paddy plantation has started already in those lands,” said Santosh Kaini, director of Sikta Irrigation Project.

While the project informed that they have not been able to make water flow along the canal effectively as its construction is yet to be completed, farmers who have been able to utilise the water from the canals have expressed happiness.

“Our land has been receiving water from the project’s main canal since last year. With the use of water from the canal, I have been able to involve in agriculture throughout the year,” said Maliram Tharu, a farmer from Ward No. 6 of Kohalpur Municipality.

Another farmer Khadak Bahadur Khadka informed that he has been planting paddy in Ward No. 15 of Kohalpur for past 15 days despite the area not receiving rain. Farmers with lands nearby the 45 kilometre main canal and 12 kilometre eastern canal have been utilising the water from the project. Only 10m3/s water has been allowed into the canals recently.

“Places where canals have reached do not have problems of water now,” said Kaini. The project’s construction began more than 15 years ago by constructing a dam over Rapti River with a plan to support irrigation in 42,766 hectares of land across Banke. 

Around 30 per cent of the project is yet to be completed. Officials have been informing that land acquisition and compensation issues have caused the delay.