Ferozepur farmers of Machhi Bugra village happy over Underground Pipeline System with 90% subsidy
Ferozepur farmers of Machhi Bugra village happy over Underground Pipeline System with 90% subsidy
Ferozepur, July 2, 2023: The Punjab government is bearing 90 per cent of expenses incurred by farmers on laying underground pipes for irrigation as part of its initiative to conserve underground water. The farmers of village Machhi Bugra thanked the Punjab government led by Bhagwant Singh Mann, Chief Minister, for over reaching the canal water to the tail ends by laying of underground pipe lines available on 90 per cent subsidy. The underground pipeline systems, also known as buried pipelines, if used for conveying irrigation water on the fields, will save the wastage of water due to leakage in the manual system power, saving of land, elimination of seepage losses and relatively little maintenance needed besides improvement in the groundwater level.
Financial and technical assistance is being provided by the Punjab government for the underground pipeline system and micro irrigation (drip & sprinkler) system to ensure the efficient use of available canal/groundwater for irrigation of fields in the state. Before laying of pipelines, earlier there was also wastage due to leakage and now in this way, the modern technologies save 20 per cent to 75 percent water.
With the threat of desertification staring Punjab in the face and the state struggling to break away from the ‘wheat-paddy’ cycle, farmers in the state are quickly adopting a five-decade-old scheme to use ‘Underground Pipeline System’ (UGPS) for irrigation. UGPS can help save around 30 per cent irrigation water, according to experts.
Speaking to the media persons, Nazar Singh Brar-President, Rajwinder Singh (Raja Sran)- Cashier Kuldip Singh Brar-Secretary, Members, Makhan Singh Bhngu, Harbhajan Singh Brarn, Angrez Singh Bar, Major Singh Bhangu, Sukhpreet Singh Dhillon and Ajail Singh Dhillon of Water User Committee, village Machhi Bugra in Ferozepur thanked Punjab government led by Bhagwant Singh Mann Chief Minister adding that it is 40 years back when the canal water was available for irrigation. Earlier we could irrigate only 20 percent of agriculture land of 60 acres only and now with the reaching of canal water land, there is hundred percent irrigation to more than 400 acres. Not only this, 90 per cent subsidy of laying of underground pipe lines.
They said, we have formed a Water User Committee to mutually decide the irrigation of fields turn-by-turn. This has worked in two ways – one irrigation of fields timely with canal water and saving electricity by not using the electric motors.
MLA Ferozepur Rural Rajnish Dahiya said in view of the state’s deteriorating ground water scenario, the government is chalking out new programmes and intensifying on ground water conservation and management works. Now the focus is on an underground pipeline system, treated water for use in agriculture, drip and sprinkler systems, rainwater harvesting, and watershed based programmes, among others.
