Punjab: Breach in sub-canal submerges 100 acres in Abohar

A breach in the Panjawa minor (sub-canal) near Burj Muhar village submerged around 100 acres on Sunday morning. Besides fodder crop, it affected wheat stubble lying in the fields that was to be used for preparing “golden toori” for animals. Submergence of tubewells is also set to cause losses to farmers.

Farmers Jagtar Singh, Harjinder Singh, Jagdeep Singh and Kuldeep Singh said about 100 acre area was inundated. Wheat straw got submerged, and now it might not be possible to use that for preparing dry fodder. Green fodder crop had also been damaged, they added.

Farmers said repeated requests to the Canal Department to strengthen the banks of the sub-canal had failed to yield results.

SDM Krishan Pal Rajput said Tehsildar Baljinder Singh visited the breach site. He asserted that farmers had already harvested the wheat crop, so there was no loss to them due to wheat crop damage. The Canal Department has been directed to plug the beach.

Canal Department Executive Engineer Vinod Kumar Suthar said a message to cut water supply had been sent to the headworks. As soon as that was done, the breach would be plugged, he added.