Penalise residents for not having rain water pits, say farming experts

Hyderabad: Farming experts are demanding an ordinance by AP and TS governments to penalise house owners not having rain water pits in view of the serious water crisis.

Mr P Chengal Reddy of Consortium of Farmers Association said, “There is no sensitivity in the public regarding utilisation of water. Water conservation from household level to irrigation purpose has to be controlled. Government should bring in an ordinance to ensure that all houses have rain water percolation tanks and conservation pits. Awareness should also be increased.”

However regarding enforcement and penalisation against farmers there are contradictory opinions. Project Director Nagarjunasagar Moder-nisation Project, Dr G Malsur said, “Nothing much can be done by force on farmers. Government and agencies should explain about water crisis and help them in crop water budgeting. Crop diversification has to be encouraged. On their own Miryalaguda farmers went in for crop diversification when there was a water crisis.”

He added, “When there is a real shortfall of monsoon and there is no water in our many reservoirs nothing much can be done about it. But when there is reasonable rain and optimal water available in reservoirs, water management can be done much more effectively.

Apart from arresting infrastructure deficiencies, canal seepages better water use by farmer sand water users association have to be taken up.”