Zameen jal chuki hai, Aasman baki hai
Darkhate tumhara Imtehaan baki hai
Woh jo kehto ki mendo par udas bhaithe hai
Unhi ki aankhe mai aab tak imaan baki hai
Baadalo, ab toh baras jao sukhi zameeno par
Makaan girvi hai aur Lagaan baki hai
While reciting these lines, the youngest MP from India Dushyant Chautala today drew the attention towards the problem of the crop failure due to drought in Haryana. Participating in the debate over the drought in Lok Sabha, the Hisar MP pointed out that it was not just that water scarcity is for irrigation only but now many states of India are grappling with shortage of even drinking water. Shri Dushyant said that Haryana was one of the worst affected states because of the drought. "Mahendragarh district and Siwani in Bhiwani are badly affected with scarcity of even drinking water", lamented Shri Dushyant, while urging the union government to adopt a serious approach towards the matter.Stating that there is a general perception that inter-linking of the rivers is the solution to the irrigation water problem, Shri Dushyant said, "On the projects like inter-linking of the river water, lakhs of crorers of rupees would be required. Why not monetarily cheaper ways be implemented. For instance, Ottu Head, a masonry weir on the Ghaggar in Haryana, came up during Ch. Devi Lal's time, because of which the land in Sirsa that was barren is today under cultivation." He asserted that the canal network has to be augmented, so that the maximum of the funds under the NABARD are utilised for the farms.
Expressing dismay over the non-seriousness of the Haryana state government towards the crucial issue, Shri Dushyant said that Parliament Agriculture Committee had given it in writing that Haryana is drought affected, whereas the Haryana government has so far not submitted the same, a fact stated even by the Union Minister of Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Sanitation & Drinking Water Chaudhary Birender Singh, in his reply in the parliament yesterday.Shri Dushyant said that as many as 13 districts of the Haryana are drought affected that has led to complete crop damage. Last year, the centre government declared all 21 districts of Haryana drought affected. "The Haryana government had sought funds to the tune of Rs 4800 crores but unfortunately the union government gave a mere Rs 172 crores to the state government. I would like to demand that the requisite funds must be given to help Haryana from the damage to farm sector on account of drought", he said.
Underlining the need for a policy on making water a national property, as is the case in America and England, Shri Dushyant said, "We talk about the threat of the nuclear war. What I foresee is that in coming time, the biggest war would be over water. Our country has left the issue of water as state subject. Why not formulate a national policy, declaring water a national property, so that every person in the country can get drinking water and the farmers can get access to water for irrigation."Shri Dushyant pointed out that under the Artificial Recharge Projects of the union government, despite Haryana government sending proposal, not even a single project was given a nod. He further stated that the Haryana government has put a rider of five acres, in its decision to provide compensation to farmers, for their crops damaged, which is completely unjust.