Daitari Nayak carved out the 3 km-water channel over three years to ensure he could irrigate his 100 acres of lands in his village.
Keonjhar: Scores of tribal farmers in the hilly and forested pockets of Keonjhar are keen on taking up agriculture in a big way to lessen their dependency on the forest-based economy. But irrigation is the main roadblock.
Ironically, lack of irrigation facilities has become a major hurdle for agriculture growth in tribal-dominated Bansapal, Telkoi and Harichandanpur blocks at a time when the government is giving priority to irrigation. The tribal farmers allege the government is not putting in adequate efforts for irrigation in these areas.
They are desperate to take up agriculture because their livelihood on forest is declining and it is limited to six months in a year. In this situation, in many villages, tribal farmers have made their own arrangements to channel hill streams and creeks when the government is expected to help them.
Daitari Nayak of Gonasika panchayat under Bansapal block is one such farmer. Nayak has dug out a channel through hilly terrain from Karatakata stream with the help of his villagers.
Nayak, a 75-year-old farmer of Talabaitarani village in Banspal block of Kenojhar district started digging through the Gonasika mountains in 2010 as erratic rains would fail his crops repeatedly. The only way he could get water to his barren lands was from a nearby stream that came out from Gonasika mountains.
Armed with a hoe and a crowbar, Nayak started digging through the mountainous roads while villagers sneered at his effort. But an undeterred Nayak carried on for some months till he was joined by his four brothers. The villagers joined in only after the canal built by Nayak and his brothers with pebbles, mud and rocks neared their village.
The 3-km-long canal was finally completed in 2013 and has helped irrigate over 100 acres of land in Talabaitarani village for last 5 years. The villagers are now growing paddy, maize and mustard as well as some vegetables.
Like Nayak, several others have taken up farming by channelizing water from streams during summer.
Juanga tribals in Bena panchayat under Telkoi bock have dug up a channel with community spirit and have been using stream water for farming over years. Similarly, tribals in Kadakala panchayat under Bansapal block are making use of water from a stream for farming.
Most of these farmers feel that they can make use of such traditional system better for raising crops if the government extends a helping hand.
Though the Minor Irrigation Department has built check dams across various creeks and streams, it is alleged that most of these projects are in disuse as they have not been built at proper locations.
Most of the dams have failed to deliver the needs of irrigation as they are unable to store water due to botched up and faulty construction. As a result, crores of rupees spent for this purpose have gone down the drain.
“If the irrigation facilities are put in place, our dependency on forest will fall,” said Hareskrushna Mohant, a local farmer and environmentalist.
However, junior engineer of the Minor Irrigation, Sudharkar Behera, has a different take on the issue. “Many dams are not properly utilized for irrigation as tribals are not keen on irrigation. I would visit those places for taking steps to make use of irrigation. If need arises, dams will be built.”
District Agriculture Officer Chittaranjan Sahu said that tribals are raising summer crops in hilly pockets. “They are now more interested in the agriculture. They will benefit from agriculture if irrigation facilities are put in place,” he noted.
PNN