In Gund Nowgam area of Sonawari, farmers owning hundreds of kanals of agricultural land continue to face immense hardship due to the absence of a proper water management system, leaving them unable to begin farming activities for the season.

Local residents have voiced deep concern over the lack of irrigation and drainage infrastructure. With no channels to bring water to their fields — or mechanisms to drain excess water — the land remains unfit for cultivation.

“Recent rainfall has caused large-scale waterlogging in our fields, and there’s no way to remove the stagnant water,” said one of the affected farmers. “Without dewatering or an alternative water source like bore wells, our land remains useless.”

The villagers have appealed to the administration to take urgent measures for dewatering the affected areas, so they can proceed with cultivating dry crops. They have also proposed that installing bore wells could be a long-term solution to ensure consistent irrigation.

When contacted, the concerned Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE) refused to comment and referred the query to the Junior Engineer (JE). The JE, when approached, assured that the issue of dewatering agricultural fields in Nowgam would be looked into.

Farmers in the area hope for swift intervention from authorities to safeguard their livelihoods and revive farming in this crucial agrarian belt.

Source - https://kashmirconvener.com