Jaipur: Farmers’ agitation in Sawai Madhopur district to demand the release of Panchana Dam water into irrigation canals in command areas entered its 13th day Wednesday. For the third consecutive day, protesters, including women and youth, gathered close to a railway station near Khandip village, blocking the Delhi-Mumbai railway track for nearly two hours until around 2:30pm.The demonstration saw thousands of farmers and villagers, supported by around 200 tractors, several JCB machines, and numerous locally assembled vehicles. Police forces, including the Rajasthan Armed Constabulary, Special Task Force, and Railway Protection Force, were deployed to persuade protesters to vacate the track, allowing for the restoration of normalcy.A senior police officer said, “No train services were affected as neither passenger nor freight trains were scheduled to pass through the section during the protest period.”At the protest site, farmers insisted that if no positive decision is reached by June 27, they will intensify their agitation from June 28. They called on the state govt to ensure compliance with court orders regarding the release of dam water.The bone of contention revolves around the allocation and release of water from the Panchana Dam for irrigation purposes. Farmers in the dam’s command areas in Sawai Madhopur, which are dominated by the Meena community, are demanding that the state govt comply with multiple high court orders requiring the release of water into irrigation canals that have not received water for nearly 20 years. This has led to severe water shortages affecting both agricultural irrigation and drinking water across 35 villages, resulting in hardship for around 1.25 lakh residents.Complicating the matter is the presence of the Gujjar community around the dam in neighbouring Karauli district, which is allegedly obstructing the release of water. They are demanding that water first be supplied to their own 39 villages, as their lands are at higher elevations and cannot benefit from gravity-fed irrigation. This clash of interests between the two communities, along with a backdrop of legal directives and the ongoing farmers’ agitation, underscores the complex sociopolitical dynamics surrounding the water dispute.The state govt has been holding talks with representatives of the Panchana Command Area Sangharsh Committee at the Atal Seva Kendra in Khandip. Committee members highlighted that the Rajasthan High Court, in its order dated July 8, 2022, directed that the irrigation system from the dam be made operational. However, water has not been released into the canals, leading to a contempt petition filed earlier this year. A protester said, “Despite three clear high court orders, water has not been released into the constructed canal network for nearly 20 years.”An irrigation official, preferring to remain anonymous, said, “The govt has already created a lift irrigation scheme, but farmers at Khandip are demanding the implementation of the high court’s orders and the water release into the canals.”Despite multiple attempts by TOI, Sawai Madhopur Collector Kana Ram was unavailable for a statement.
