Ahead of paddy sowing, farmers want rejuvenation of UBDC canal

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, April 14

Ahead of the upcoming paddy transplantation season, farmers have urged the government to repair and rejuvenate the Upper Bari Doab Canal and its branches so that they can get enough canal water for irrigation.

Farmer leader Dr Satnam Singh Ajnala said, “If the capacity of the UBDC is increased to 12,000 cusecs of water, it can easily provide water to the fields which means that the farmers would not have to draw groundwater through tubewells. If the government is serious, the groundwater table can be recharged by discouraging use of tubewells.” He said UBDC caters to the irrigation needs of farmers in four districts of the Majha region.

Dr Ajnala said at present, the sanctioned strength of water in UBDC is around 8,200 cusecs. The canal, at present, is using only half of its sanctioned water capacity as it needs imminent repairs, he said.

The farmers said large numbers of canal minors have been encroached upon and these should be freed. “If the encroachments are removed and the canal minors are reconstructed, it would help farmers get enough water from canals,” said Rattan Singh Randhawa, another farmer leader.

The farmers in the district stated that groundwater has gone so deep that in many areas, they are forced to dig tubewells as deep as 400 feet. It has led to increase in agricultural costs and is one of the reasons for the present agricultural crises as digging a 400-foot tubewell costs over Rs 2 lakh.

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