Farmers allege irrigation failure in Dibrugarh's Tingkhang, face police complaint after seeking water

Farmers of Kolowlowa Deori Gaon under Khowang in Assam's Tingkhang constituency have alleged that the failure of a government irrigation scheme has left them struggling to irrigate their paddy fields, forcing them to depend on rainfall despite the existence of a state-run irrigation network.

According to local farmers, the decades-old irrigation project has become defunct, with its canals overgrown by vegetation and no longer capable of supplying water to agricultural fields. They alleged that despite repeated maintenance works, the irrigation infrastructure remains non-functional.

The villagers further claimed that large sums of public money have been misused under the scheme, alleging that contractors have been paid primarily for clearing vegetation without restoring the irrigation system. These allegations have not been independently verified, and there has been no official response from the Irrigation Department.

Tensions reportedly escalated recently when farmers approached officials of the Irrigation Department seeking water for cultivation. An argument broke out between the two sides during the interaction.

Following the incident, department officials lodged a complaint at Khowang Police Station against some of the farmers.

The farmers have denied any wrongdoing, stating that their only demand was the supply of irrigation water for their fields. They have appealed to the minister representing the Tingkhang constituency to intervene immediately and ensure the restoration of the irrigation scheme before the cultivation season is affected further.

Further details are awaited.