By C M Sharma
Even though the Union Territory of Ladakh stands politically detached from the State of Jammu and Kashmir post 4th of August 2019, the agro-climatic conditions of the left out Union Territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir remain as varied as ever owing to its rugged topography and numerous agro-climatic regions at micro level isolated from each other by deep rivers and ravines and high hills and mountainous ridges. The Pir-Panchal range divides both the Jammu and Kashmir Divisions of the UT geographically to create uniqueness in physical features, climate and physiography, vegetation and agriculture, problems and needs.
Due to a continued increase in human and cattle population which was reported about 12.54 million and 10.99 million respectively by 2011 there remains a tremendous pressure on the resources of Jammu and Kashmir especially on forests, soil and water. Soil erosion is the major problem here due to undulating topography, fragile eco-system, fluctuating climatic conditions and loss of vegetal cover due to excessive grazing, lopping, felling of trees, and encroachments. The problem is further aggravated with triggering of landslides, earthquakes and quarrying of mountains for construction of roads, railway lines, hydroelectric projects etc.
The forests together with good soil and water management practices play an important role in moderating the climate, maintaining the soil mantle, improving soil fertility, minimizing soil erosion, purifying the air, preservation of wildlife and in regulating the flow of water in rivers and streams. Their intangible benefits in supporting human life and vegetation are far more superior to the tangible benefits. The augmentation of natural regeneration/ eco-restoration of degraded forests together with soil and water conservation have assumed significant place in sustainable increase of productivity and improvement of the economy.
The State of Forest Report 2015 revealed that against the Total Forest Area of 22,988 sq. km. in the erstwhile J&K State 10,112 sq. km. was under Open Forest category which is actually prone to soil losses and low water percolation / infiltration. An estimate by Indian Institute of Soil and Water Conservation revealed that 16.35 tonnes of soil per hectare were lost annually at the national level while as “the state of Jammu and Kashmir” lost 20 tonnes of soil per hectare annually, which was quite higher than national average. It is an obviously cause of degradation, deterioration and denudation of sloppy land besides effecting serious problem for farmers as the fertile soil is ripped off and soil nutrients are leached down, silt accumulate in water bodies, dams and cause land slips/ landslides.
In recent years, Climate Change has emerged as another major challenge to the society by accelerating the degradation of our soil and water resources. Growing population with improving living standards is further exerting an increasing pressure on water resources and reducing the per capita availability day by day.
There is a need for proper planning, development and management of the water and land resources by applying technically sound measures for raising the standards of living of the people, particularly in the rural and hilly areas.
Central Water Commission, 2012 reported that “Jammu & Kashmir is one of the states having the highest total length of rivers and canals”. Despite that, only about 3 lac hectares area out of the approximately 8 lac hectares net sown area is irrigated and 5 lac ha remains rainfed in Jammu and Kashmir. Out of the Net Sown Area of 4.15 lac hectares in Jammu division, only about 1.04 lac hectares is irrigated leaving about 3.11 lac hectares as un-irrigated which includes large tracts of drought prone areas of Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Udhampur, Reasi and Rajouri districts. Thus, about 75 % of net cultivated area of Jammu division is un-irrigated. Moreover, the pattern of rainfall over Jammu Division is very uneven both spatially and temporally.
The problem of ground water crisis is no less acute. Over-extraction, misuse and illegal “water mining” have combined with other factors to push the water table ever low. It is also a fact that the frequency of rare events with high intensity rainfall has increased now in comparison to the previous years, which calls for better management practices and safe design of soil and water conservation structures.
A study on the distribution of water table and the availability of rain water has pointed to the need to harvest rainwater for artificial recharge of ground water as one of the main sources to fulfill the future requirement. Both extensive as well as intensive soil and water conservation measures of different models as per specific site requirements are therefore needed to preserve the water for prosperity.
Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana ( PMKSY) was introduced in J&K State in 2016-17 for achieving the goal of taking irrigation water to every farm through convergence of all relevant resources and feasible efforts to bridge the gaps in irrigation through location specific interventions. Despite launching of all the four components of PMKSY viz. Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP), Har Khet ko Pani (HKKP), Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) and Watershed Development, no visible headway is seen either in terms of infrastructure created or the funds utilized, particularly in the rainfed areas which need to be in focus to bring about the long desired evergreen revolution.
In this connection, adequate financial allocations are proposed in favour of the predominantly rainfed areas of Jammu region so that the perennial water sources are tapped and irrigation water carried efficiently to field crops and orchards without seepage and evaporation losses. In view of the fact that about 90 percent of the farmers belong to small and marginal category comprising of a large population of scheduled caste and scheduled tribe category farmers in the difficult hilly terrains, the pattern of assistance for such farmers on conveyance pipes, pump sets, solar pump sets, micro irrigation equipments needs to be raised to 90 percent so that tangible results are visible in short time. Assistance for construction of water storage structures may be kept at 75 percent and significant proportion of MNREGA funds must be kept in addition as the labour component for revival of dilapidating water bodies.
Priority formulation and implementation of site-specific projects to conserve and manage soil and water resources using modern inputs and technology need completion in a time bound manner on watershed, micro-watershed basis fulfilling the basic principle of soil and water conservation i.e. top to bottom approach by taking of plantation and engineering works coupled with water harvesting techniques including drainage line treatment and water resource development/management. The water which flows unhindered down the drains needs to be tapped along the streams and drainage lines for prevention of soil erosion and reclamation of waste lands.
Adequate financial and technical support is a must for recharge of ground water by constructing dams, gully plugging, construction of ponds, bunding of Nallahs by constructing embankments in the shape of earthen, sand & concrete dams along with harvesting of roof water. There is also a need to protect and revive the traditional ponds/springs and implement catchment area treatment projects, wherever required in forests and outside for judicious use by locals and for wildlife to avoid man-animal conflict. Simultaneous institutionalization of coordination of soil conservation activities of various departments i.e. Forest, Agriculture and Irrigation etc. is essential to conserve the valuable soil and water and increase water regime of the area viz-a-viz the productivity besides other intangible benefits like; carbon sequestration, pollution abatement and amelioration of climate, in-situ conservation of biodiversity and maintenance of ecological balance.
This measure is the most essential, the other being site specific mechanization, to generate additional employment opportunities and income for secured livelihood in rural areas and ultimately enhance productivity of land available for primary production systems (crop cultivation, livestock raising and forest management) sustainably.
(The writer is the former Dy Director, Agriculture Production Department, Jammu)
