Soil and water conservation: some measures for kandi area of Punjab

摘要

Kandi zone covering nearly 10 per cent area of the state is spread over five administrative districts along the lower shivaliks of Punjab. This zone is characterized by undulating topography, repeatedly dissected by choes, low fertility soils and recurring soil erosion due to heavy rainfalls. This zone receives more annual rainfall (1100 mm) as compared with other zones of Punjab. The main characteristics of the rainfall are that it occurs mostly (80 per cent) during kharif (July-Sept) and is accompanied by high intensity storms. Due to slopy and undulating topography, most of the rain water is lost as runoff causing large-scale erosion and resulting in flash floods and thus adds to 10 per cent area of the state as flood affected area. Studies in the area have indicated that annual loss of rainwater as runoff varies between 26 and 42 per cent. Thus, the rainwater, rather being useful, creates many problems in this part of the state. The underground water in the zone is very deep and digging of canals is difficult and costly due to undulating, rocky sub-terrain and reportedly choe dissected areas. Because of rainfed agriculture, small holdings and lack of proper technology suited to this zone, the farming in this area is not sustainable and remunerative. Therefore an approach encompassing optimum use of land, water and vegetation in area is required to provide solution to drought, moderate floods, prevent soil erosion, improve water availability and increase fuel, fodder and agricultural production on sustainable basis. Application of the concepts of improved land and water conservation measures in watershed management has been widely accepted as a practical solution for sustaining agricultural production and for increasing ecological security of rainfed dryland areas.