Which of the following factors increase the duty of irrigation water?
Options:
(A) Lining of irrigation conveyance canals
(B) Adoption of drip and sprinkler irrigation methods
(C) Cultivation of crops with very high delta (e.g. paddy)
(D) Volumetric pricing and efficient water management
Answer Key:
A, B, D
Step-by-Step Solution & Explanation
Duty is the area of crop irrigated per unit rate of water flow ($\text{ha/cumec}$). Higher duty means water is used more efficiently:
• Canal lining reduces seepage losses, increasing duty (A).
• Precision micro-irrigation reduces application losses, increasing duty (B).
• High water requirement crops (like paddy) consume more volume, decreasing duty (C is FALSE).
• Volumetric pricing curbs wastage, increasing duty (D).