UP govt diverts overflowing rivers to parched fields

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has instructed officials to channelize the water of overflowing rivers to the parched fields of farmers in a well-organized manner.

Lucknow: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has instructed officials to channelize the water of overflowing rivers to the parched fields of farmers in a well-organized manner.

With the recent heavy rains in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, the water levels of many rivers in Uttar Pradesh have surged, leading to flooding in districts along Saryu, Ganga and Yamuna rivers.

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The Chief Minister to directed the Irrigation Department to develop a comprehensive plan to divert flood water to all 71 reservoirs of the state by desilting them.

For the past two years, numerous districts in Uttar Pradesh have suffered significant damage to Kharif crops due to scanty rainfall.

This year, 40 districts experienced deficient rainfall and eastern Uttar Pradesh is on the verge of facing a drought-like situation.

In the state, only 18 districts have seen average rainfall. In a similar vein, 17 districts have seen more rain than usual.

With only 233.5 mm of rainfall recorded in eastern UP from the southwest monsoon, which is 64.8 mm less than normal, areas like Sant Kabir Nagar, Pilibhit, Mau, Mirzapur, Deoria, Kushinagar and Kaushambi have experienced 60 to 90 per cent less rainfall.

CM Yogi Adityanath’s plan involves diverting floodwater to reservoirs first and then utilizing canals to supply the water to farmers for irrigation purposes.

Uttar Pradesh has an extensive canal system, covering 75,090.90 kilometres, including 30 major and medium-level pump canals and 254 minor put canals.

By capitalizing on the increased water levels in the rivers, the government hopes to replenish the dried-up agricultural fields and mitigate the adverse effects of the ongoing drought.

This strategic approach aims to address the challenges posed by irregular rainfall patterns and ensure adequate water supply to farmers across the state.

The officials of the Irrigation Department have been tasked with formulating an action plan to effectively implement the channelization of floodwater and benefit the farmers in drought-affected regions