Dumka, Aug. 25: Drought has spread panic in the rural parts of Santhal Pargana, but has failed to pose any particular threat to Taljhari, a remote tribal-dominated panchayat in the Pathana block of Sahebganj district.

Like other parts of the division, farmers here do not depend on the rain, as water for irrigation is available in their fields.

What’s worked for them is the true implementation of micro economic social organisation (Meso) project, which assured farmers of Taljhari, Atapur (under Uduwa block) and Bisunpur panchayat (under Borio block) water supply.

Suresh Tudu, pradhan (traditional village head) of Taljhari hamlet, was confident of a good harvest this time and also of paying back his debts thanks to a trouble-free paddy production.

Like Tudu, many others are enjoying the irrigation facility.

Bikash Murmu, Lobin Hembrom and Phoolmuni Hansdak, along with many others hoped for a bumper crop. “Officials of Meso, along with Tudu, visited the hamlets frequently to check on the projects. They really helped us,” Phoolmuni said.

Major irrigation projects remained defunct in Sahebganj, which is located on the bank of the Ganges. The much talked about Gumani barrage project failed to provide any irrigation facilities even after crores were spent.

But the district Meso department managed to bring a smile on the faces of the farmers.

According to Anjani Kumar, sub divisional officer-cum-in-charge of Meso, Sahebganj, the department had initiated irrigation opportunities from 2007 in the district with the cost of nearly Rs 89 lakh. Earlier, Pradan prepared a blueprint for the irrigation project and after a final approval from the tribal welfare commissioner (TWC), Ranchi, Meso, Sahebganj started work, Kumar said.

He said that earlier irrigation measures were taken after supervising the possibilities of water from nearby sources or even from mountain slopes.

More than 483 farmers at Taljhari became beneficiaries of the project while Meso has already initiated a cluster of over 10 villages at Mandro, Barhet, Uduwa and Borio block in the district.

Kumar said that all the projects were prototype schemes for two years and it would be handed over to the village groups. According to him, under the project, Meso has, so far, constructed 10 lift irrigation units, 14 big wells, 20 small wells, along with 11 water collection points in the panchayat.

Farmers under Tilvitta, Saraybindha, Barmasiya, Taljhari, Chota Majdehia, Bara Majdehia, Dhardharia, Banskola, Padanvitta and Atgama hamlets became direct beneficiaries of the schemes. Each hamlet has a village group, which also invites district agriculture personnel for guidance.

“Besides Taljhari, you can witness the greenery in the Uduwa, Bishunpur and Borio blocks,” Kumar said.