Early paddy transplantation may impact Punjab's groundwater reserves: Experts

Patiala: As chief minister Bhagwant Mann has announced that paddy transplantation in Punjab would begin on June 1, earlier than last year's start date of June 11, experts in the field cautioned against the move and cited how the delay in paddy sowing can significantly help Punjab curb the depletion of its groundwater reserves. The decision came after years of attempts to curb groundwater depletion by delaying paddy sowing.In 2008, the state govt issued an ordinance not to allow the transplantation of rice before June 10. Later in 2015, the date of rice transplanting was delayed to June 15. In 2018, the transplanting date of paddy was further delayed to June 20, but in 2019, the transplanting time was advanced to June 13.Providing insights into the issue, former PAU additional director Gurdev Singh Heera said that initially, during the 1970s, paddy transplanting used to start with the onset of monsoon rains, around June 30. However, over the years, the transplanting date was gradually advanced to as early as May 20 due to various factors like labour availability, electricity supply, and the adoption of long-duration varieties. This advancement had a devastating effect on the groundwater table, leading to a substantial fall.Heera conducted a study that clearly shows that delaying rice transplanting can significantly reduce the rate of groundwater depletion. For instance, when transplanting was delayed to June 10, the average water table fall in Punjab reduced from 54 cm/year (1998-2005) to 27 cm/year (2005-2015). The impact was particularly significant in districts like Ropar, Moga, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Tarn Taran, Fazilka, Mohali, and Kapurthala, where the arrest of water table fall ranged from 44 to 79 cm/year."The role of various factors like seepage from rivers, canal irrigation, rainfall, cropping patterns, and urban water usage in influencing the groundwater scenario. Districts along the Sutlej and Beas rivers, as well as those receiving high annual rainfall, showed a more pronounced impact of delayed transplanting on arresting the water table fall. The data on area below the critical 10-metre Water Table Depth (WTD) reinforces the importance of delaying rice transplanting. The rate of increase in the area below 10m WTD decreased from 175 thousand hectares per year before 2005 to just 1.9 thousand hectares per year after 2015, when the transplanting date was shifted to June 15. Currently, 46% of Punjab's area is in the most critical (18%) and critical (28%) stages of groundwater depletion. The study suggests that shifting rice transplanting to the end of June or July can help check the problem of falling water tables in most areas of the state," he said."The delaying of paddy sowing can significantly contribute to saving Punjab's rapidly depleting groundwater reserves. Coupled with other remedial measures like crop diversification, reviving old river pathways, and rainwater harvesting, this approach can help ensure the sustainability of Punjab's groundwater resources, which are crucial for the state's agricultural productivity and food security," he added.Punjab has been a major contributor of wheat and rice to India's central foodgrain pool since the Green Revolution began. The state's contribution to the central pool in 2022-23 stood at 46.24% for wheat and 21.43% for rice, although previously these figures were substantially higher at 55% for wheat and 42% for rice. The substantial and sustained contribution of foodgrains from Punjab has resulted in significant depletion of its groundwater resources. The irrigation coverage expanded dramatically from 54% in the 1960s (22% via tubewells and 32% through canals) to current levels of 100% (72% through tubewells and 28% via canals).Punjab chief engineer (Irrigation) Sher Singh, said, "Earlier, 70 percent of water from Punjab's share of water from the dams was being supplied to the farmers for irrigation, but this time 100 percent of supply will be done. This time all the farmers having canal water supply will get their share."No recommendations by PAU for advance sowingPunjab Agriculture University vice-chancellor Satbir Singh Gosal said that there are no recommendations from the university for advancing the paddy sowing. He said, "The PAU recommends the paddy transplantation after June 10, after the state assembly passed 'Preservation of Subsoil Water Act in 2009. The state govt this time has advanced paddy transplantation, which will be divided in four zones with priority to be given to districts having sufficient canal water supply. The decision aimed to avoid complications for farmers in selling their paddy harvest due to high moisture content in Oct. The farmers sowing short duration paddy varieties, especially PR 126, before July 15 will not face moisture problem but due to rising area under spring maize or summer maize which is sown in March and harvested in July is creating issue as farmers get delay beyond July 15 in paddy sowing."#designer**BOX:**Transplanting Date | Water Table Fall (cm/year)1 May | 7010 May | 6020 May | 5030 May | 2810 June | 10Paddy Transplantation Dates:Before 10 June = 1989-2004;10 June = 2005-2014;15 June = 2015-2017Paddy Area in Punjab:2024-25: 31.79 Lakh hectares2025-26: 32.44 Lakh hectares expected**BOX:****Power Subsidy for Agriculture Pumpset:**2005-06: Rs 1385.92 crores2006-07: Rs 1522.61 crores2007-08: Rs 2284.37 crores2008-09: Rs 2264.92 crores2009-10: Rs 2804.99 crores2010-11: Rs 2702.87 crores2011-12: Rs 3879.95 crores2012-13: Rs 4787.07 crores2013-14: Rs 4778.13 crores2014-15: Rs 4454.54 crores2015-16: Rs 4709.91 crores2016-17: Rs 5196.77 crores2017-18: Rs 5976.82 crores2018-19: Rs 6256.09 crores2019-20: Rs 6060.27 crores2020-21: Rs 7180.54 crores2021-22: Rs 6745.06 crores2022-23: Rs 9063.79 crores2023-24: Rs 8881 crores