The Shirsai irrigation scheme’s rabi water rotation began on Thursday, November 5, bringing relief to farmers in 12 drought-prone villages in Baramati taluka after a farmers’ hunger strike and repeated demands for water. The scheme will release 160 million cubic feet of water into its command area over the next 15 days through six pumps.
The water release was initiated after rainfall remained extremely low in Baramati’s rain-fed belt, affecting both farming and drinking-water availability. The delayed rabi sowing season, declining groundwater levels and limited access to fodder had increased pressure on farming households, while farmers were also trying to protect standing sugarcane crops.
Irrigation department deputy engineer Kiran Tupe said water lifting initially began through five pumps and that the sixth pump would be started in the evening. He appealed to farmers to use the available water carefully. The department has not indicated any extension beyond the planned 15-day rotation in the information available.
The decision follows a protest by farmers at Undawadi Supe, where they held a rotating hunger strike seeking the immediate release of water from the Shirsai scheme. A farmers’ delegation also approached Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar with the demand. After receiving an assurance that the request would be considered positively, the water rotation has now been started.
The release is intended to serve more than direct irrigation needs. According to the report, water will be channelled into percolation tanks, earthen drains and cement bunds across the command area. These local storage structures are expected to support groundwater recharge and improve water availability in wells and borewells. The outcome will depend on how much water is retained in these structures and how carefully it is distributed among users during the rotation.
The 12 villages identified as beneficiaries are Undawadi Supe, Karkhel, Sonawadi Supe, Jalgaon Supe, Anjangaon, Jaradwadi, Undawadi Kadepathar, Gojubavi, Barhanpur, Sablewadi, Gadikhel and Shirsufal. Together, they form part of Baramati’s rain-fed belt, where farming remains particularly vulnerable when monsoon rainfall is inadequate.
The timing of the release is significant for the current agricultural cycle. The poor rainfall had already damaged the kharif season and delayed rabi sowing. Farmers were simultaneously dealing with reduced water levels in wells and borewells, the need to secure animal fodder and the risk of losing standing crops. The irrigation rotation provides a planned volume of water, but the report records the department’s emphasis on conservation rather than an expansion of supply.
The immediate administrative task is therefore to complete the six-pump operation and distribute the promised 160 million cubic feet over the stated 15-day period. The irrigation department’s next stated step is the continued operation of the pumps and delivery of water through the canal network to the identified villages.
