PAU tests irrigation equipment in Moga

To improve the efficiency of irrigation, a levelled field is important and a laser leveller is the best, both for optimum irrigation and water conservation.

The use of laser leveller was demonstrated during a field day at Sukhanand village in Moga district on Thursday. More than 300 farmers, engineers and extension education specialists participated. The function was presided over by Ferozepur Soil Conservator Sat Pal Singh Gandhi.

Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) Farm Power and Machinery Department Senior Agricultural Engineer and Head SS Ahuja said besides saving water, a field levelled with laser leveler ensured a good crop.

However, he said, farmers would have to wait for another three years for it because at present only private players were taking up this operation on custom hiring basis.

"One good thing is that some village co-operative societies have acquired this equipment for custom hiring at affordable cost," he added.

The project investigator, HS Sidhu of USAID project "Development and evaluation of second generation seed drills," said about 150 acres were levelled by this technology in Sukhanand village.

The department at PAU offers hands-on training for the use of laser leveller. The farmers and others were taken to the paddy fields leveled by laser leveler before transplantation to show the good crop performance and for an interface with the farmers who had made use of it. PAU Extension Education Director Sarjit Singh Gill, who presided over the function, said laser leveler would help farmers to increase production and incomes.

"Since paddy is a moisture-absorbing crop, the use of such technology, when adopted on a mass scale, would help change the present grim picture of agriculture."

Simply shifting the date of paddy transplantation beyond June 15 helps immensely in saving water," he added.