Dimapur, August 21 (MExN): Parliamentary Secretary for Flood Control & Irrigation, Y Patton, today inaugurated the Dzumha Mini Irrigation Project at Jharnapani, Medziphema, and handed over the project to the beneficiary villages at a programme which was attended by a host of senior bureaucrats from the agriculture, taxes, land records, flood control & irrigation departments here today. MLA and Advisor of Sericulture and Cooperative department, MLA Azheto Zhimomi, and former minister Rokonicha also spoke on the occasion.
The Dzumha Mini Irrigation Project, which had commenced work on November 22, 2006, was completed in June 2009 at a cost of Rs.2,00,74,800 (2 crores seventy four thousand and eight hundred rupees). The funds were received from NABARD (70 lakhs) and AIBP (Rs.1,30,74,800). The beneficiary villages are Jharnapani, Molvom and Khamkharia villages.
The Dzumha Mini Irrigation Project has a ‘Gross Command Area (GCA)’ of 237.50 hectares and ‘Net Irrigable Area (NIA)’ of 183 hectares. A significant aspect of the Dzumha MI Project is that it has a bridge over the Dzumha River which connects to the village which lies beyond the river. Initially the bridge was not included in the irrigation project, but on the request of the villagers and the contractor, the construction of the bridge was sanctioned by the Chief Minister, much to the delight of the villagers in the area.
After inaugurating the Dzumha MI Project, Parliamentary Secretary Patton formally handed over the Dzumha Mini Irrigation Project to the ‘Water Users Association’ which consists of the “user villages” of the project. Speaking at the inaugural programme, the Parliamentary Secretary termed the inauguration of the Dzumha MI Project as “another milestone” towards establishing guarantee to the needy farmers. He declared that today’s inauguration is the third commissioning of the mini irrigation project during his one and half years of ‘stewardship’ in the Irrigation & Flood Control department.
Terming the creation of irrigation potential as one important component of encouraging agricultural activities, Patton pointed out that under the leadership of Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, the ruling DAN government adopted the principle of ‘back to the land’ and under it a number of programmes like ‘year of the farmers’ have been taken up to benefit the farmers of the state. Besides, he said that in Nagaland till date 58,553.69 hectares of land have been brought under irrigation, and during the current year the government has a target of bringing further areas of 8,105 hectares under irrigation in the state.
The Parliamentary Secretary also handed over the commissioned project to the agricultural farmers of the area through the area of the Water Users’ Association “to make the best use of the project”. Patton pointed out that ‘normally such constructed irrigation project is allowed to be used by the beneficiaries on payment of nominal fees “but in absences of any enactment by the state to regulate such usage”, the department is allowing the beneficiaries “free use” of the facilities. “It is up to your wisdom with the guidance of WUA of this project to maintain and make best use of the same for long term benefit of the people,” he said.
The Parliamentary Secretary also handed over a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to the Head GB of Jharnapani Village Council. The MoU signed by the Head GB of Jharnapani and the Chief Engineer of I&FC, Er. Mezakrol, and countersigned by B Thawang Konyak, Secretary to the Government of Nagaland (Dept of I&FC), declared that the department of Irrigation and Flood Control, having successfully constructed the project, “hereby hand over the infrastructure to the user villages”.
Under the MoU, the farmers of these villages form the Water Users’ Association (WUA) to govern all kinds of conflicts amongst the farmers in relation to water distribution, of discipline, etc. The WUA of these villages, on taking over the project, are solely responsible for operation, maintenance and utilisation of water for the purpose so created. The Irrigation and Flood Control department will provide any possible assistance in case of major requirement for maintenance of Head Work (Diversion Weir) structure due to natural calamity, extension of canal, common Area Development (CAD), etc., the MoU declared.
