10-Correlation of unit draft of electric tubewells and irrigation requirements of crops in selected areas of Punjab - A case study.

Abstract

There are about 0.5 million private shallow electric tubewells in Punjab State. The farmers are charged by a flat rate for consumption• of electricity by agricultural pumpsets.There is tendency amont the farmers to operate the tubewells for the period the electricity is available to them especially in kharif Period. The annual unit draft of electric tubewell varies in canal and tubewell irrigated areas mainly depending upon cropping pattern, size of ho'.ding etc. In the present paper, correlation of unit draft of electric tubewell and irrigation requirements of crops in the land holding has been made on the basis of case studies carried out in six blocks of the state. It is concluded that there is an excess withdrawal of groundwater from electric tubewells than the optimum amount of irrigation water required far raising crops. So there is need to educate the farmers to avoid excessive application of tubewell water to conserve the precious groundwater resource.