Sirhind canal water supply suspended, to hit sowing
Sameer Singh
Bathinda, November 2
Wheat sowing in Malwa is set to get delayed this season as the water supply from the Sirhind canal has been suspended by the Irrigation Department to carry out cleaning of the canal till November 17.
Yield to be affected
As per agri experts, Nov 1-15 is the best period for wheat sowing. Delaying it by a week or two will affect the yield adversely due to suspension of water supply. Ram Singh Bhaini Bagha, BKU (Ekta-Ugrahan) leader
As per farm experts, the time is conducive for wheat sowing now, but if it is delayed by another week or two, then it will affect the crop yield adversely. Fields need to be irrigated properly before wheat can be sown, but with the canal running low now, farmers are left with no alternative but to wait for three weeks.
Farmer leaders said the state government must plan cleaning or repair works of the canal in advance, not amid the sowing season. There are farmers in the region who entirely depend on the canal water for irrigation as groundwater drawn via tubewells is not considered fit here.
Gursagar Chahal, Executive Engineer, Irrigation Department, Bathinda, said, “The canal water supply has been suspended to carry out cleaning operation till November 17. Owing to the inclement weather conditions and untimely rain, this year paddy harvesting has been delayed. Subsequently, the wheat sowing will also get delayed so we had planned the cleaning work of the canal accordingly so that farmers can be provided water for irrigation at the right time.”
Balkaran Singh Brar, president of Kul Hind Kisan Sabha, said, “The Malwa region is the cotton belt of the state and after cotton picking is over, empty fields have to be irrigated in order to start wheat sowing. Now with no canal water, the sowing will be delayed.”
