Mokokchung: Shiyong Minor Irrigation Project commissioned at Aliba village

The commissioning and handing-over ceremony of the Shiyong Minor Irrigation (MI) Project at Aliba Village, Mokokchung was held on June 26 with Tongpang Ozukum, Advisor to the Water Resources Department, Government of Nagaland, as the special guest. The project, implemented under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) – Har Khet Ko Pani (HKKP), marks a significant step toward improving irrigation infrastructure and promoting sustainable agriculture in the village known for the GI tagged “sweet cucumber” of Nagaland.

The project was executed by the Executive Engineer of the Mokokchung Division, Water Resources Department, and funded through a Centrally Sponsored Scheme of the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India. The estimated cost of the project was Rs. 141.92 lakhs, with construction commencing in March 2021 and completed by April 2024.

Built across the Shiyong River, a tributary of the Doyang River, the project includes a storage dam, an approach road, and associated irrigation infrastructure. The dam creates a water body with a water spread area of 3 hectares, designed to benefit the command area on both banks of the river. Prior to this project, farmers in Aliba village relied mostly on rainfall and practiced only single cropping due to the lack of assured irrigation.

According to information published by the department, with the completion of the Shiyong MI Project, approximately 60 hectares of culturable command area will benefit, including 54 hectares of net irrigable land and a gross irrigated area of 75 hectares.

The project also offers a wide range of environmental, social, and economic benefits. It will support biodiversity, improve the local microclimate, enable groundwater recharge, reduce soil erosion, and enhance air quality. In terms of water management, it will ensure water storage for dry seasons, facilitate irrigation, control floods, and strengthen drought resilience.

Additionally, the water body is expected to support fisheries, promote aquaculture, and boost tourism and recreational activities such as boating and sightseeing. It is also anticipated to improve the aesthetic landscape of the area and promote community well-being.

Upon commissioning, the project has been formally handed over to Aliba Village for operation and maintenance. Constructed by Longden Longkumer of LL Construction, the structure includes a 42-meter-long core wall, spillway systems, buttresses, and an inspection bridge. The catchment area for the project spans 6.5 square kilometers, with a maximum observed discharge of 10.50 cumecs.

The successful completion of the Shiyong MI Project is expected to enhance the agricultural productivity of the village. Aliba Village is located about 15 kilometers from the Mokokchung district headquarters, while the Shiyong MI Project is situated approximately 10 more kilometers further from the village, in the Satier sector along the Mokokchung–Mariani Road (NH-702D). Aliba is an emerging rural tourism destination in the state, home to the biggest log drum in Nagaland and host of the annual Cucumber Festival.

Tongpang Ozukum highlights economic and irrigation potential

Speaking on the occasion, Ozukum urged all the Agriculture and allied departments to provide full logistical support and the necessary infrastructure required for the project. He further stated that with the commissioning of the project, there is potential for tourism and recreation, fisheries, and aquaculture, which will benefit the villagers economically. The Advisor also thanked the department for allocating the project and supervising its timely completion.

He added that the objective of PMKSY is to ensure “Har Khet Ko Pani” — to improve irrigation infrastructure, promote efficient water use, and ensure water security for agriculture. Ozukum also handed over the project to the Water User Association (WUA) of the Shiyong MI Project.

The project’s Memorandum of Understanding, on behalf of the department, was signed by Er. Karipomg Walling, Executive Engineer, WRD Mokokchung. Er. Sobu Angami, Additional Chief Engineer, WRD, presented the technical report on the Shiyong MI Project.

A short speech was delivered by Tatongkaba Pongen, Chairman of Aliba Village Council. The program commenced with an invocation by Rev. Nungshi Pongen, Pastor of Aliba Baptist Church, while the vote of thanks was proposed by Er. Sademkaba Ozukum, Executive Engineer, WRD Mokokchung. The programme was led by Imtisungkum, UDA, WRD Mokokchung.

(With DIPR inputs)

MT