Work to repair feeder canal begins

Raj Sadosh

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Abohar, May 25

Concerned over breaking of the lining of a portion of the Ferozepur feeder canal, a high-level team of the Rajasthan Irrigation Department today inspected the site.

Kisan Sangharsh Samiti spokesman Subhash Sehgal, who also led a group of progressive farmers from Sriganganagar, said sand bags were being used and a JCB machine acquired to plug the breach by repairing the damaged portion.

Gang Canal Irrigation System Superintending Engineer Arun Kumar Sidana and Executive Engineer Pradeep Rustogi discussed the situation with Punjab counterparts at the site. Punjab officials reportedly explained to them that the financial sanction to take up emergency repair had been received from state headquarter yesterday and the work could be started.

Due to the damage to the canal, Sriganganagar farmers have been deprived of water for irrigation and drinking for the past thirty-six hours.

The Ferozepur feeder canal offtakes from the Harike headworks and has a capacity of 11,192 cusecs. The 51.30-km canal that was constructed in 1952-53 supplies Ravi-Beas water to two distribution systems (Mayawah and Sodhinagar) having a combined discharge of 309 cusecs.

Farmers and officials said there was a need to reline the canal completely since the life of the feeder canal had been put at 50 years.