BY TC News Desk
Agartala, 13th March 2026: Farmers of Indiranagar under Melaghar are facing a severe crisis after a major irrigation pipeline supplying water to agricultural fields reportedly burst, leaving vast stretches of farmland without water. The situation has triggered anger and frustration among cultivators who fear that their crops are on the verge of complete destruction.
Local farmers alleged that while leaders often praise farmers as the “food providers of the nation” during public speeches, the ground reality tells a different story. Due to the prolonged disruption of irrigation, several fields have already dried up, while standing crops are now in the final stage of damage.
Indiranagar is known as one of the major agricultural belts in the Melaghar area. To support irrigation, a water pump had earlier been installed on the banks of the Gomati River at Indranagar Bakshi Bari to channel river water to nearby farmland. However, farmers say the pipeline that carries water from the pump to the fields has been lying damaged and unusable for a long time.
According to the operator of the irrigation pump, several written complaints were submitted to the local office of the Irrigation Department, but no repair work has been undertaken so far.
The crisis has particularly affected farmers cultivating vegetables such as chilli, brinjal and other seasonal crops. With irrigation supply halted, many of these crops are now drying up, pushing farmers towards heavy financial losses.
One distressed farmer said he has been trying to keep his vegetable field alive by carrying water from household drinking taps, but admitted that the effort cannot continue for long. “I am somehow managing for now, but it is impossible to sustain this way,” he said.
Other cultivators who planted both vegetables and paddy in the area echoed similar concerns, stating that without immediate irrigation support their crops will soon perish.
The affected farmers have demanded urgent intervention from the concerned department to repair the damaged pipeline and restore water supply. They warned that if the issue is not resolved quickly, they may be compelled to launch a larger protest movement in the coming days.
