Canal projects in pipeline as MLAs make efforts to rectify over century old ‘blunder’

Members of the Punjab Legislative Assembly from Malerkotla are working to rectify a blunder made by a former ruler during the implementation of the British Government’s Sirhind Canal Project in 1880s. While the former rulers of the Phulkian states (Nabha, Patiala and Jind) collaborated with the British on the project, Nawab Muhammad Ibrahim Ali Khan (ruler of Malerkotla from 1871-1908) declined to allocate land and resources for the canal to pass through his state. The decision sowed seeds of water scarcity in the state and continues to haunt its rural areas.

The ‘imperial mistake’ has dearly cost areas of Amargarh and Malerkotla as access to the canal water has emerged as a major issue in these regions. At present, 60 villages are deprived of access to canal water and have suffered the consequence of the ruler’s decision.

Farmers and technicians have seen the problem worsen over the past three decades as the mode of domestic water supply has shifted from hand pumps to submersible motors to monoblock pumps installed inside wells to the current situation where submersible motors are being installed at depth of 200 feet. The rapid depletion of groundwater resulting from an increased number of tube wells has led the Central Ground Water Board to declare several blocks of the district as dark zones.

The AAP government’s objective to revitalise the state’s canal system to combat groundwater depletion has pushed legislators Jaswant Singh Gajjanmajra and Mohammad Jamil Ur Rahman to correct the mistake made by the Nawab in 1880. The two are working together to fetch maximum grants for strengthening canal systems in the district.

Gajjanmajra claimed that projects worth Rs 175 crore had already been commissioned as part of a mission to strengthen canal systems in the Amargarh segment, besides surrounding areas falling under the Malerkotla and Dhuri segments. More projects were in the pipeline and would be expected to be completed at a cost of Rs 40 crore, he added.

Ziledar, Canal Irrigation Department, Tejpal Singh Benipal said more than 11,300 acres of land had been brought under canal irrigation over the past three years. Additionally, underground pipeline covering 2,86,838 feet had been laid down to supply canal water to farmers.

He said Kairon Drain and Underground Gajjanmajra Distributary had also been completed and would provide canal water to irrigate 10,000 acres of land. Additional outlets have been provided at Gajjanmajra, Mahpur, Jabbomajra, Bharthala Randhawa, Sirthala, Haidernagar, Rurki Kalan, Dugri, Chanduraian, Jatua Mandian, Bunga, Chandigarh (village), Sehke, Sawarpur, Hathoya, Laddewal, Mahpur, Rauni and Jarag localities. The Punjab Government had also approved an award for construction of Malerkotla Minor Drain that will provide additional irrigation facilities for 54,000 acres in 35 villages of the district, he added.