Faridkot: Residents up in arms over concrete lining of canals

Faridkot, April 11

Many residents, farmers and members of various voluntary organisations on Tuesday protested against the concrete relining of the Rajasthan and Sirhind feeder canals here.

Claiming the decision would leave hundreds of villages and many towns on the bank of these canals without drinking water supply, the protesters warned of a massive protest in the region if the Rajasthan and Punjab Governments went ahead with the relining of the canals.

Not only in the Faridkot region, but a public and farmers’ protest is already underway in Ferozepur district against the concrete relining of the canals. Originating from the Harike barrage, the twin canals pass through Ferozepur, Faridkot, Muktsar and part of Fazilka districts.

While these districts of southern-western region of Punjab face grave shortage of drinking water due to poor quality of groundwater, both these canals have proven a boon for local farmers and residents ever since their construction in the 1960s as the seepage of water helped in recharging the groundwater level, besides improving its quality. This helped farmers in producing paddy on an otherwise semi-arid land.