Reliable year-round irrigation facility established in Khajuwapatti, Shuklaphanta

Kanchanpur: Farmers in Khajuwapatti of Shuklaphanta Municipality-1 have received reliable irrigation facilities throughout the year following the completion of a deep boring installation project.

The deep boring system, installed at a cost of more than Rs 5 million with the support of the Sudurpaschim Province Underground Irrigation Office in Dhangadhi, has now come into operation. According to Ward Chairman Uttardev Bhatta, with the launch of the deep boring service, arrangements for electric motors, valves, and pipeline expansion have been made at various locations to ensure regular irrigation for 60 bighas of farmland belonging to local farmers.

“This has directly benefited about 200 farmers in this area,” Chairman Bhatta said. “Now, there is an easy irrigation facility in the fields during both the winter and rainy seasons.”

Local farmer Ratan Chaudhary said that farmers previously faced severe difficulties due to the lack of a systematic irrigation system. “In the past, we had to draw water from the river using pump sets, but the river would dry up in Jestha-Baishakh, causing fields to dry as well,” he said. “Now that regular irrigation is possible, I believe vegetable, rice, and wheat cultivation will expand.” He added that although some farmers had installed electric motors at the private level in the past, they were not sufficient to irrigate all fields properly. Power supply issues further disrupted irrigation.

After the installation of the new deep boring system, farmers in the area expect easier water supply according to the needs of their fields and a significant increase in production.

Ward Chairman Bhatta stated that the expansion of irrigation facilities will bring major relief to farmers engaged in commercial vegetable farming and fisheries. “The lack of irrigation used to affect the farming systems of many farmers,” he said. “Now, since irrigated farming will be possible over a large area at once, agricultural production will increase significantly.”

Local farmers have emphasized that the deep boring facility is important for economic development. Technicians from the Sudurpaschim Underground Irrigation Office confirmed that the deep boring test has been completed successfully and that necessary minor improvements are being made to further increase flow capacity. A coordination committee has also been formed at the local level for pipeline expansion, motor maintenance, and regular operation of the system.