Srinagar Jan.23 (KNS): Saying that ‘Jal Jeevan Mission’ (JJM) to provide 100% Functional household Tap Connections (FHTC) to rural households for ensuring water security to its population was a promising endeavour of the Government , Chairman Peoples Democratic Front ( PDF )and former Minister Hakeem Muhammad Yaseen has urged the need to address the irrigation water requirements of the farmers also with the same zeal and zest for ensuring sustainable growth of agriculture and horticulture economy. He said just as the Right to Clean water is guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution of India , the right to irrigation water to farmers was also gauranteed under Eparian rights as irrigation was pivotal for propelling the overall rural economy.
In a statement issued on Tuesday Hakeem Yaseen while hailing the primary idea behind the JJM , has urged the need to keep irrigation water needs of the farmers also in consideration , in the course of taping various water for JJM from various upper resources like rivers , khohls and dams , so that adequate water allocations are earmerked for irrigation purposes. He said farming community has every right on proportionate allocation of water ,out of various water resources , for irrigation of its agriculture and horticulture activities. “
Riparian water rights is a worldwide system for allocating water among those who possess land along its path as it was imperative for boosting rural economy ,Hakeem Yaseen said adding it has its origins in English common law as also in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and states in the eastern United States.
PDF Chairman said that while taping reliable drinking water
sources or augmentation of existing sources to provide long-term sustainability of drinking water supply system, the experts and senior engineers should dovetail each scheme with a provision for irrigation water supply mechanism to cater to the requirements of the farmers of the respective areas . Otherwise , in the run up to the pomp and show of JJM ,we may skip development of the most pivotal sector of our rural economy more specifically agriculture and horticulture . “ The agriculture sector of J&K currently contributes 16% to GSDP and provides employment to 60% of UT's population. The sector holds a very vital importance in UT's growth and development trajectory. About 35 lakh persons earn livelihood from the fruit industry alone in J&K ,“
Hakeem Yaseen maintained adding that policy planners and engineers can not overlook this aspect while exploiting various water resources in jammu and kashmir. We have to keep in mind that there were adverse future climatic warnings like harsh draught that may spur worst ever water scarcity in J&K in coming months and be ready with our adequate response to repell its impact. Qouting from an insightful article of GK senior correspondent Mr Arif Shafi Wani published ,Hakeem Yaseen said “ Continued spell was set to doom on jks water bodies. Every drop counts and we need to preserve ”(KNS)