18 Jun 2008 IndianExpress Pg 12
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"IT IS time Punjab gave up the cultivation of paddy as over-exploitation of groundwater in the state has reached 145 percent, second only to Delhi," said National Rainfed Area Authority CEO Dr J S Samra. The over-exploitation is highest in Jalandhar (254 per cent) and lowest in Muktsar (62 per cent), he added.
He was speaking at a workshop on 'Combating land degradation for sustainable agriculture' on the occasion of World Day to Combat Desertification at the CII today.
Dr Barry Shapiro of the International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) said, "When we compare the support given by the government to rain-fed areas as compared to irrigated areas, we see that subsidy and policy support for irrigated agriculture is much more. This is causing farmers in Punjab and Haryana to use more water and other inputs like fertilisers than they should."
"The growing incidence of submersible pumps against centrifugal pumps is leading to the further exploitation of its energy and groundwater resources," Dr Samra said, adding that eastern India has the potential of meeting the demands of growing paddy on a sustainable basis while crops like soyabean and legumes will result in both high returns and better resource management.
The workshop was attended by experts on environment and agriculture besides officials of the government, research scholars, academicians and other stakeholders.
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"IT IS time Punjab gave up the cultivation of paddy as over-exploitation of groundwater in the state has reached 145 percent, second only to Delhi," said National Rainfed Area Authority CEO Dr J S Samra. The over-exploitation is highest in Jalandhar (254 per cent) and lowest in Muktsar (62 per cent), he added.
He was speaking at a workshop on 'Combating land degradation for sustainable agriculture' on the occasion of World Day to Combat Desertification at the CII today.
Dr Barry Shapiro of the International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) said, "When we compare the support given by the government to rain-fed areas as compared to irrigated areas, we see that subsidy and policy support for irrigated agriculture is much more. This is causing farmers in Punjab and Haryana to use more water and other inputs like fertilisers than they should."
"The growing incidence of submersible pumps against centrifugal pumps is leading to the further exploitation of its energy and groundwater resources," Dr Samra said, adding that eastern India has the potential of meeting the demands of growing paddy on a sustainable basis while crops like soyabean and legumes will result in both high returns and better resource management.
The workshop was attended by experts on environment and agriculture besides officials of the government, research scholars, academicians and other stakeholders.
