Farmers oppose canal closure, block Abohar-Hanumangarh highway

Our Correspondent

Abohar, March 15

Describing the ‘canal closure warrant’ as ‘death warrant for the farmers’, activists of Samyukta Kisan Morcha on Friday staged a dharna at Rajpura barrier on the Abohar- Hanumangarh state highway. Police handled the situation by diverting the traffic as hundreds of vehicles were stranded.

BKU Khosa state secretary Gunwant Singh said that the Irrigation Department has decided to close the canal system from March 16 for about six weeks, this would prove fatal for the farmers. He said that fruit orchards and wheat crops are in dire need of water because the summer season has started earlier with mercury soaring at 28°C but the state government has announced closure to take up Sirhind feeder repairs.

He said that suspending canal water supply in the months of March and April will make it difficult for the farmers to sow crops and irrigate their horticulture fields.

The farmers said that the farmers were already bearing the brunt, narma cotton crop got spoiled due to pink bollworm while kinnow did not get fair price. He said that now only wheat crop is left which gives hope to the farmers but if canals are closed now, then hopes on bumper wheat crop would fall flat.

Another BKU leader Goldy Mammukhera said that 80 per cent of the area in Fazilka district is dependent on canal water and the underground water cannot be used for wheat, mustard crops and orchards.

BKU demanded from the Agriculture Department not to allow canal closure in Fazilka district in the month of March-April so that farmers can sow their crops and water their gardens on time.

MLA Sandeep Jakhar, in a statement, said he had already apprised the state government of apprehensions relating to suspending canal water supply this month. He suggested to defer the closure till March 31.

Mayor Vimal Thatai said the water reservoir in the new water works on the state highway may not be able to provide drinking water during the proposed closure as storage capacity was limited to ten days only and demand had increased with summer knocking the doors.

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