Abohar farmers face water shortage as canal dept tweaks supply schedule

Praful Chander Nagpal

Fazilka, June 24

Abohar MLA Sandeep Jakhar has expressed concern over the shortage of water for irrigational purposes in canals in Abohar area. He opposed the policy of rotation of canal water imposed by the canal department.

ROTATION SYSTEM A PROBLEM

Abohar MLA Sandeep Jakhar alleged that less water was being released in the canals as a result of which the turn of some farmers to get water was snapped. He said that he had contacted the concerned minister and other officials of the department and demanded release of full flow of water in the canals, but instead, the department has now imposed the policy of rotation of water supply due to water shortage and none was informed in this regard.

A delegation of farmers led by MLA Jakhar met Executive Engineer of the canal department in this regard today. Jakhar alleged that less water was being released in the canals as a result of which the turn of some farmers to get water was snapped.

Jakhar said that he had contacted the concerned minister and other officials of the department and demanded release of full flow of water in the canals, but instead, the department has now imposed the policy of rotation of water supply due to water shortage and none was informed in this regard.

The farmers said that due to the closure of canal on Sunday, one farmer Sunil Kumar of Diwankhera village missed two turns. Apart from this, the kinnow growers whose turns have been missed will have to suffer major financial losses.

This rotation of water supply has been imposed to provide water to the paddy growers who are also their brethren but it does not mean that the farmers tilling the land at the tail end should be harmed, said Jakhar.

The Abohar MLA said that the canal department had planned to impose rotation during next two weeks but there is no information that which canal will be closed. He claimed that he had appealed to the department to make this information public in farmers’ interest.

Claiming that the irrigation system in Rajasthan was doing better, Jakhar said the farmers there get to know a month in advance about the canal that is to be closed.

When contacted, Executive Engineer Sukhjit Singh clarified that due to shortage of water in the Sirhind Feeder Canal, they are compelled to impose rotation system. The executive engineer said that however, those canals running to full capacity were offering requisite water to the tail end villages also.