Heavy downpour delights farmers in Rajasthan

Dholpur (Rajasthan), Jul 11: After years of wait for rains, the record downpour in Rajasthan's Dholpur district in the last four days has brought a big wave of cheer among farmers here. Local officials of the irrigation department are also delighted to notice such a heavy rain, especially in the last four days. It's raining since June this year here.

Lack of rainfall and dried up water sources over the past couple of years had made this region drought-prone.

Many residents say that they witnessed such high water level in the district's Parvati Dam for the first time in last one decade.

Farmers are delighted, as the downpour has come as a major help from the heavens to make them expect a good harvest. eanwhile, the Irrigation Department, apart from monitoring the situation like measuring the rainfall, has geared up for water conservation.

"The situation in the villages here is very good. The water is reaching to the villages in enough quantity and it's raining heavily this time. There is no problem. After about 25 years, this area is witnessing heavy rain. In such a short period, our statistics have crossed 625 millimeters of rain in our Dholpur.

According to our statistics, the minimum rainfall should be 625 millimeters. But this year our statistics have crossed 650, 7,000 and 800 millimeters of rain," said Bhagwan Agarwal, the Executive Engineer for Irrigation Department.

As for the water level in the Parvati dam, ecautionary arrangements have been undertaken by the Irrigation Department.

"We have been ordered to keep one foot of the Parvati anicut empty and we will close it completely after August 20. We will fill water in the anicut's catchment area till 2021 and will not open it. At present, we have kept the level of the dam one foot down so that the water will get stored in it as water flows into the catchment area," said Bhagwan Agarwal.

The total capacity of Parvati Dam is 222.80 mm but the water level reached to 223.115 mm due to heavy rain.

The administration was informed and nine of the 22 gates of Parvati anicut were opened as the water crossed the level more than dam's capacity and when the water reached its normal level, the gates were closed.

The water was released at around 6,500 cusec per second.

Though farmers are happy but the last four days' heavy rainfall has also made life difficult for a lot of residents here.

The roads are in a bad condition, which is giving rise to accidents. By Brajesh Kr.Singh

ANI