Water scarcity in July! Policy failures exposed naked
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: July 17, 2014 -

As put forward a few days back that protection of agricultural land is crucial for ensuring food security of not only the present generation but also for many more generations to come.

Though it is a little late, it is commendable that the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) adopted a resolution to protect agricultural land at a meeting held some days back.

They even agreed to table the Manipur Land Revenue & Land Reforms (MLR&LR) Act in the State Assembly for amendment, if necessary, so that the same Act can effectively deter usurpation of agricultural land for all kinds of purposes other than agriculture.

Before whipping any citizen in the name of protection of agricultural land, the Government should start the retribution process within itself.

It is a common knowledge that it is the State which accounts for the lion’s share when it comes to land acquisition, agricultural land or otherwise for construction of schools, colleges, roads, railway tracks, offices and all kinds of modernization projects.

Yet, it is heartening to note that the crucial importance of protecting agricultural land has finally dawned on the conscience of the State’s law-makers.

Protection of agricultural land is crucial to make the State self-reliant at least in terms of production of the State’s food which happens to be rice.

But productive or successful cultivation of paddy requires ample volume of water. That is why, it is said that protection of agricultural land is not simply enough.

Some other prerequisites are irrigation infrastructure and reliable water harvesting techniques. High yielding varieties, disease resistant crops and other inputs are important but they can be considered as secondary compared to irrigation facilities.

For a vibrant agriculture sector, one cannot leave the practice of agriculture at the mercy of the vagaries of monsoon.

The outcry of some peasants that they cannot start paddy cultivation till date due to scarcity of water merits immediate and special attention of the Government.

Protection of agricultural land without irrigation facilities is simply absurd. Now it is July, most often billed as the wettest month of the year.

When there is not enough water for paddy cultivation in the month of July, something is seriously wrong. It demands a long term plan.

The Government needs to introspect and retrospect on the many costly dams which could not see the light of day after several decades as well as the dams already commissioned but have failed to deliver.

Considering the fact that Manipur on the average receives annual rainfall of 1467.5 mm as against the all India average of 1081 mm, it was ridiculous that the whole Imphal valley endured acute scarcity of water for domestic consumption during April-May this year, and now peasants are worried on account of shortage of water for paddy cultivation.

Is it not an indication that the State has failed miserably on irrigation projects? The annual rainfall pattern may have changed a bit due to global climate change but the whole malady cannot be attributed to climate change alone.

The observation that the issue of irrigation is always deliberated in every monsoon session of the State Assembly but no concrete action or plan is visible so far speaks volumes about the Government’s lack of commitment in agriculture sector.

The situation demands the State to formulate a visionary policy for scientific water harvesting and viable irrigation infrastructure rather than confining themselves within the domain of rhetoric.

For too long, the State has neglected agriculture sector. What is the purpose for protecting agricultural land, when there is no requisite infrastructure for productive agricultural practices?

The State should never commit the fait accompli of over-emphasising on secondary and tertiary sectors at the cost of primary (sic agriculture) sector.

In the meantime, the State should take up certain measures on war-footing to address the problem of water shortage being faced by some sections of farmers.

At the same time, it should start working on a long term, viable irrigation policy before the onset of next paddy season.