Mubashir Alam Wani
Srinagar, Jun 23 : A persistent heatwave across Kashmir Valley has sparked concern over the health of paddy fields, with farmers in several areas reporting signs of water stress.
However, officials at the agriculture department in Kashmir say the situation was under control, and no major crop damage has been recorded so far in the Kashmir region.
“We have spoken to all officers and experts. As of now, there is no alarming report. But if the heatwave continues, we are prepared,” a senior official from the department told the news agency.
He added that a contingency plan is lined up to tackle any potential fallout if dry conditions persist. “The department is also in consultation with the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST) Kashmir and has requested advisories to be issued to farmers to mitigate any adverse impact,” he said.
The officer said that although isolated dry patches have been observed, field officers have been directed to use lift irrigation wherever possible. “These instructions are already in place for affected pockets,” he said.
According to the official, constant submergence of paddy fields was not necessary at this stage. He said hairline cracks are a natural sign that irrigation is needed.
The Indian Meteorological Department has predicted rainfall in the coming days, and that could bring relief to farmers. “If it rains, the situation will recover quickly. If not, we have a response mechanism ready,” he added.
Meanwhile, a top official from the Irrigation and Flood Control (IF&C) Department Kashmir, told KNO that while a few isolated cases of water stress in paddy fields have been reported, necessary instructions have already been issued to field officers to take appropriate remedial measures wherever required.
The Meteorological Department has forecast generally hot and humid conditions with brief spells of rain or thundershowers at scattered places on June 23 and 24.
From June 25 to 27, 2025, the weather is expected to remain generally cloudy with intermittent light to moderate rain or thundershowers at many places, with the possibility of heavy rain at isolated places in the Jammu division. Intermittent rain or thundershowers are also likely at scattered places from June 28 to 30 and again on July 01 and 02
