Twenty years ago,a lift irrigation scheme for drought-prone areas in Baramati had brought hope to 6,000-odd farmers. But now,reeling under high electricity bills,farmers are desperate to end the scheme. The Janai-Shirsai Lift Irrigation Scheme was introduced in 48 villages of Supa Pargana taluk and six villages in Daund taluka,in Baramati. Under the scheme,introduced by the NCP,water had to be lifted at three places using motors and supplied to these villages. The power tariff comes to Rs 1.5 to 2 crore a cycle and at least three such water cycles are needed to cultivate crops like wheat,jowar and onion a year. Thats Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 per family per water cycle for a village with a population of 1,700 to 2,000. Over the last five years,most farmers have stopped using water under this scheme,citing the high cost of electricity. We have stopped using water under this scheme, says Bhausaheb Kirdat of Undawadi Supe village,standing in a queue for water. The panchayat samiti has arranged for the tanker that comes once in 3-4 days and Kirdat has to fill his 20-litre can. Id rather pay for the tanker than pay up the electricity bills, he says. Villagers allege that NCP candidates released water into three ponds under this scheme during the panchayat samiti elections,much against their will. They had claimed then that the water was free and that the power bill had been taken care of. But we later realised that the bill had been added to our outstanding amount, says Annasaheb Gunjal from Jalgaon village. NCP leaders,however,dismiss the criticism. This area is elevated with no scope for rain water accumulation. The scheme ensured water supply at a subsidised cost of 35 paise per unit of power,which the farmers had to pay. In 2005,when the farmers said they could not pay the bill,Rs 1.25 crore was waived off. Since then,villagers have been refusing to pay and now there is an outstanding of Rs 35 crore, says Ashok Bhosale,an NCP worker from Karkhel village. Finding a solution to this deadlock has become necessary for Supe village,which has no alternative but to get water under the lift-irrigation scheme. All the villagers contribute for the water. We pay Rs 3 lakh to get the village pond filled twice a year. This water percolates into the farms and wells,which is then used by the villagers, says Digambar Panhale,sarpanch of Supe.
