Official apathy mars desilting of Ranbir canal in Jammu
Sumit Hakhoo
Tribune News Service
Jammu, February 24
The unavailability of sufficient funds and official apathy have affected the annual maintenance and desilting of the 114-year-old Ranbir canal. It is the largest irrigation network in the state and the lifeline of thousands of farmers, including cultivators of basmati. However, the canal has been crying for attention.
A senior official in the Irrigation and Flood Control Department said for the past seven years, the authorities had been cleaning only a few patches of the 60-km canal — starting from Dumi Malpur (Akhnoor) till Nekowal in the Sialkote sector. A 36-km stretch passed through Jammu city.
According to information, more than Rs 4 crore are required for the annual maintenance. Many branches of the canal, especially those passing through Talab tillo, Bohri and Nai Basti, have turned into dumping grounds.
“The lack of civic sense among the people is also responsible for the poor condition of the canal. If a dedicated plan is not formulated, the canal will die in the next few years”, said PN Bali, a former chief engineer. Bali had exposed deep corruption in the department during the previous PDP-BJP government.
Sources said earlier, the desilting and cleaning process would start from January every year. By the mid of March, the canal was ready for the release of water. However, the practice had been discontinued. At times, water was released ahead of Baisakhi in April without even cleaning the canal, the sources said.
Last year, only a 6-km stretch of the canal was cleaned and that too following a great hue and cry by farmers and environmentalists.
“Some contractors, in connivance with certain corrupt employees, have created monopoly over desilting works. The contractors produce fake bills and embezzle lakhs of rupees whenever works are allotted”, alleged an assistant engineer.
When contacted, Chief Engineer, Irrigation and Flood Control, Vinod Gupta failed to give a satisfactory reply to the continued delay in repair works. However, Gupta said, “Tendering process for desilting works has been completed. We will start work in the next few days.”
Gupta said a comprehensive plan had been sought by the state administration to introduce some changes in the existing system. “We will submit a detailed report in this regard to the administration soon,” he said.
