Shimla: Farmers in Salkoh village in Kangra district, are facing irrigation challenges despite the completion of a Rs 4.76 crore World Bank-funded check dam project two years ago. The project was launched under the Shriram Gareli Khad Jal Upbhogta Samuh (Water User Committee) Bhadwar-1 scheme.
Part of the Horticulture Development Project, it aimed to irrigate 200 hectares of farmland and benefit 360 farmers but not a single drop of water has reached their fields, dejected villagers say.
The infrastructure developed includes six water tanks and pipelines with a storage capacity of 13 lakh litres, however, villagers report that the tanks were filled only once for testing and have remained dry since then.
Karam Singh, a local expressed his concerns, “I donated land for the project, but neither received compensation nor water.”
Locals have further accused the Water User Committee and concerned departments of mismanagement, which is responsible for their current plight.
Alleging that the check dam was poorly constructed, with parts collapsing during the first rains, locals also claim that pipelines intended for two villages were redirected elsewhere without accountability.
The affected farmers are now demanding a government inquiry into the matter.
Surendra Singh Rana, an official with the Horticulture Department, stated that the dam was handed over to the Water User Committee in July 2024, and they are now responsible for its operations and finances.
Meanwhile, the committee officials have cited funding issues and have suggested that the project might be transferred to the Irrigation and Public Health Department.