One kg paddy consumes 3,500 litres water

Ludhiana, Dec 14 (UNI) Punjab is mining groundwater to achieve paddy production targets that are set every year by the government.

If Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) statistics are to be believed it requires 3,500 litres of water to produce one kg of paddy. With water table drastically going down every year, Punjab farmers can ill afford to indulge in this luxury of mining groundwater to achieve record production of paddy.

''Community pursuasion alone can help farmers to save on natural resources, marketing and earn profits and not government policing'', PAU's Director of Extension Education, Dr S S Gill said at a training camp for Secretaries and Inspectors of cooperative societies and progressive farmers of Ludhiana held at the PAU campus here today.

This camp was organised by KRIBHCO. The theme chosen for the day was ''Save Water, Save Punjab'' to impart practical tips and training to the participants.

Addressing the participants Dr Gill said that paddy transplantation after June 15 this year had not affected timely sowing of wheat nor did it effect the paddy yield, contrary to apprehensions of the antagonists of late transplantation of paddy.

Sounding a word of caution, Dr Gill said that no government or legislation can achieve what the farmers can do with self-help.

Infact, varied interests of the farmers has come in the way of enacting a legislation or in diversification of agriculture, he added.

He advised the progressive farmers to impress upon their fellow farmers to religiously follow the package of practices recommended by scientists of PAU.

Giving a concrete example, he said, a progressive farmer Mohinder Singh Dosanjh, advocated late transplantation of paddy in Nawanshehar area. He was able to persuade farmers to delay transplantation till June 15 this year.

Consequently, paddy was sown, as desired by PAU, after the cut-off date on at least 5000 acres. In Punjab as a whole 70 per cent area was sown by the farmers as PAU had wanted them to sow without causing any loss of either yield of paddy or delaying the sowing of wheat, Dr Gill added.

He suggested KRIBHCO to coordinate with state cooperative societies and PAU to to educate farmers about judicious use of every drop of water.

KRIBHCO Chief Manager Dr W S Gulaeria and state marketing manager Mr Balwinder Singh Brar unveiled a four-point strategy before the participants to ''Save Water Save Punjab''.

These strategies include educating the farmers on rain water harvesting and impress upon the state government to follow the example of Rajasthan government where provision for rain water harvesting is an integral part of urban planning and development; to propagate water saving technologies evolved at PAU and promote drip-irrigation.

It was also decided at the camp to involve PAU Directorate of Extension Education, its 16 Krishi Vigyan Kendras and battery of Farm Advisory Service Scheme specialists to take the slogan of ''Save Water Save Punjab'' to every village.

UNI HS DB LL DS1355