Diplomat Correspondent
Pulwama, (DD): A major breach along the Awantipora canal near Waghama, Bijbehara Sangam has triggered an irrigation crisis, leaving thousands of farmers across South Kashmir in distress. The collapse has disrupted the critical water supply to over 5,000 hectares of paddy fields spanning from Pahalgam to Pulwama, threatening crop failure during the peak cultivation season.
Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Pulwama, Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra, took to social media on Tuesday to raise an urgent appeal to the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, calling for immediate repair of the canal and deployment of emergency response teams.
“Awantipora canal from Pahalgam to Pulwama irrigates 5,000 hectares of paddy cultivation and is a lifeline for farmers. However, it is currently cut off due to a canal collapse at Waghama, Bijbehara Sangam. This urgent issue requires immediate repair to prevent drought-like conditions. Farmers in the area are in deep distress and panic. Requesting @JavedRanaa & @ShaleenKabra for swift intervention. FYI @CM_JnK,” Parra posted.
Farmers from Bijbehara, Awantipora, Kakapora, and Tral have voiced desperation, urging authorities to restore the canal immediately. Many reported that their paddy nurseries are already drying, raising fears of large-scale crop damage if action is not taken swiftly (DD)