Farmers Repair Irrigation Canal With Own Funds in Odisha’s Rayagada
According to villagers, the canal had remained damaged for a long time, affecting the flow of water to farmlands.
Rayagada: In a striking example of community initiative amid alleged administrative apathy, farmers from three villages in Rayagada district repaired a damaged irrigation canal using their own funds after repeated appeals to authorities reportedly failed to yield results.
The incident was reported from Nimajhola village under Kalyansinghpur block, where farmers and residents of Kuradi, Balipadar and Nimajhola villages joined hands to restore the canal, considered vital for irrigation in the region.
According to villagers, the canal had remained damaged for a long time, affecting the flow of water to farmlands. Despite submitting written memorandums and repeatedly urging the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) authorities to undertake repair work, no permanent measures were taken, they alleged.
Left with little option ahead of the agricultural season, villagers convened a meeting and decided to raise funds collectively. Each household contributed money for purchasing construction materials, including cement, sand and stone chips. Villagers also voluntarily contributed labour for cleaning and repairing the canal.
Residents said more than 900 acres of agricultural land depend on the canal for irrigation. They claimed that had the repair work not been carried out during the summer, water supply to farmlands during the upcoming monsoon season would have been severely affected, potentially rendering vast stretches of cultivable land barren.
The villagers’ collective effort has drawn attention locally, with many describing it as an example of self-reliance and community solidarity in rural areas facing infrastructure challenges.
Meanwhile, Sub-Collector Ramesh Chandra Jena said the administration is aware of the issue and efforts are underway to develop a proper mechanism for permanent repair and maintenance of the canal system.