Chandigarh: Rana Gurjeet Singh, a Member of the Legislative Assembly from Kapurthala, has raised serious concerns about Punjab’s rapidly depleting groundwater and called for immediate action to address the crisis. He emphasized the need for crop diversification, particularly a shift from water-intensive paddy to maize cultivation, as a sustainable solution.
Speaking to the media, Rana Gurjeet Singh highlighted the detrimental impact of moving farmland from cotton to paddy cultivation, a shift that has further worsened the state’s water table.
“Punjab once had 8 to 10 lakh hectares under cotton cultivation, but factors like easy access to tube wells and canal water led farmers to move away from cotton. The spread of the Pink Bollworm pest only accelerated this shift, creating a severe water crisis,” he explained.
The MLA criticized the government’s failure to control the pest infestation, which has plagued the Malwa belt for the last three to four years. He pointed out that this inaction forced many farmers to abandon cotton farming.
To mitigate the crisis, Singh proposed maize cultivation as a practical alternative. “Maize requires far less water than paddy, making it a viable option for regions facing water scarcity. Farmers need to earn fair prices through better agricultural practices, and maize offers that opportunity,” he said.
Sharing data, he revealed that the area under cotton cultivation has drastically reduced to just 98,000 hectares. He urged the Agriculture Department to support farmers in transitioning to maize farming and criticized its failure to address the issue.
During the last Kharif season, Singh sent experts to Fazilka to explore solutions after farmers were forced to plough cotton fields due to Pink Bollworm infestation. “The findings showed that maize could be successfully cultivated in the region, serving as a model for the rest of Punjab,” he added.
He warned that if groundwater depletion continues at the current rate, the state’s water supply will soon become insufficient for agriculture.
To encourage diversification, Singh proposed that the Punjab government provide ₹10,000 per acre to farmers as compensation for transitioning from paddy to maize. He also urged the central government to allocate ₹15,000 per acre in financial assistance for maize cultivation until it becomes a sustainable practice.
“The situation is urgent, and without immediate action, Punjab’s agricultural future is at risk,” he concluded.
