Abstract :

Agriculture is the key sector in India’s economy, contributing about 35% of GDP and employing 65% of its adult population. The country may need about 267 m tonnes of food grains by 2030 and produces now about 215 m tonnes. Irrigation is the back bone for further expansion in agricultural production. Out of 190 m ha cultivated area about 85 m ha is irrigated.

Irrigated agriculture not only raised food production and improved productivity but also brought in increase of water logging and soil salinity problems. Without exception, problems of water logging and soil salinity have developed in almost all the irrigation projects with a development period of about 15 years and the extent varying from 10 to 30%.About 2.4 m ha is suffering with water logging and 3.3 m ha with soil salinity in different irrigation commands. Water logged area having salinity greater than 4 dS/m in the top 1.5 m soil profile in at least 50% of the catchment area.

Drainage in India is understood mainly as a flood control measure. Progress in drainage is always looked in terms of kilometres of surface drains excavated and kilometres of protective embankments constructed Command area development: land levelling, provision of field channels and field drains, development and maintenance of main and intermediate drainage systems, and other irrigation system improvements. Control of water logging and soil salinity has not received much attention in India and especially in black cotton soils.

Sub-Surface Drainage is the removal of excess water from the land surface. The selection of a Sub-Surface Drainage for a field or area depends largely on soil characteristics, topography, climate, type of crop, value of land and the availability of a suitable outlet. S.S.D. system is designed to lower of water table to which allows optimum root development and prevents the capillary movement of salts in to the root zone. S.S.D. system is to install perforated PVC pipe with cover of synthetic envelope material. Diameter of pipes various from 80mm 455 mm and pipes are installed below ground level at a depth of 1 to 1.2 m.  This is an effective solution for saline black cotton soils. Pilot projects are implemented in southern part Maharashtra and Karnataka.