125 ha rice fields waterless

125 ha rice fields waterless

BEKASI: About 300 farmers of Lenggahsari village in
Cabangbungin regency asked the government on Friday for
irrigation pumps to irrigate 125 hectares of rice fields.

"We asked Mayor Wikanda Darmawidjaja to provide us with
irrigation pumps to channel water from Ciherang River uphill to
our rice fields," said Marba, one of the farmers, as quoted by
Antara.

He claimed that he had lost millions of rupiah due to a lack
of water to irrigate his land. "Three months ago, the paddy dried
up and died. Now I cannot pay my debt for the seeds."

Another farmer, Tohir, questioned why mayoralty officials had
done nothing about addressing the problems farmers faced due to
the annual dry season, which had been exceptionally harsh this
year.

Separately, Alexander Doloksaribu, who is deputy chief of
Bekasi Council Commission A for administration, said irrigation
pumps could not be procured immediately because the council first
had to deliberate the matter before allotting money to buy pumps.
-- JP