Farmers in Sarlahi worried over draught

By Our Correspondent, Sarlahi, Sept. 17:Farmers in Sarlahi were worried for the paddy planted in their field because it had been affected as the rain stopped and the crop could not get enough irrigation this year. There was no alternative means of irrigation for the crop and the farmers were worried with possible draught. It is the time of paddy harvesting in several places of plain areas of the country however the farmers are afraid with drought.  In Sarlahi, there is no irrigation facility in several places like Hariwan, Lalbandi, Ishwarpur in northern part and Chandranagar, Bramhapuri, Haripurva, Parsa in eastern part.

The farmers were using pump-sets continuously for the irrigation where it was available but others remained waiting for rain where pump-sets don’t work.  Aashish Waiba, a local resident of Hariwan Municipality, said that farmers who don’t have pump-sets were worried in lack of rain. “Those who are completely dependent on rain water are worried,” he added. 

This year, the farmers who had planted most of their paddy in July and August with little rain were expecting rain in October but draught has worried them. “Paddy harvesting time is to start and the rain has stopped,” Waiba said. 

Agricultural Knowledge Centre Malangwa informed that about 90 per cent of the 46,500 hectares of rice cultivation land in the district has been planted this year.

Devanand Rai, acting head of the office, said that if there is no rain immediately, there will be a risk of drying up of the rice crops planted by farmers in Chure area and the eastern belt. He said that the paddy crop has been good so far this year and if there is enough rain within the first week of October, the yield of paddy which is ready to be harvested now will be good.

Locals have said that when the rain stops, there is a fight between the farmers to get water even in the areas that get water from the canals.