5 years on, relining of canals yet to begin; Waterlogging in Punjab | Irrigation in Rajasthan hit

5 years on, relining of canals yet to begin

Waterlogging in Punjab | Irrigation in Rajasthan hit

No firms showed interest in project

• The process for the Rs 1,800 crore project had started in 2011, when its actual cost was estimated at Rs 1,441.26 crore
• The global tenders were first floated in financial year 2011-12. At that time, it was decided to complete the project in 2014-15
• However, no company showed interest and the tenders were floated again in 2014 and thereafter in 2015

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, April 21

Seepage of water from Rajasthan Feeder and Sirhind Feeder canals is major cause of waterlogging in the south western part of the state but the project of relining of these canals is yet to take off.

The seepage from Rajasthan Feeder canal is estimated to be 700 cusecs and that from Sirhind Feeder canal is 300 cusecs. Further, a team from the Centre led by Dr Mihir Shah had strongly recommended this project to deal with this problem in most parts of the state.

Even the Rajasthan government has time and again asked the state government to begin the relining work of Rajasthan canal so that it can mitigate the shortage of water for irrigation purposes.

Sources in the state Irrigation Department informed that in a meeting held on March 22 in Chandigarh, the representatives of the Rajasthan government had strongly expressed their concern on this issue. The process for the Rs 1,800 crore project had started in 2011, when its actual cost was estimated at Rs 1,441.26 crore.

The global tenders were first floated in the financial year 2011-2012 and at that time it was decided to complete the project in 2014-15. However, no company had shown interest and the tenders were floated again in 2014 and thereafter in 2015.

But the tendering work is still lingering even after some relaxations were offered to companies which had shown interest in the project.

Further, three pre-bid meetings have also been held so far in this regard with M/s L&T, M/s Hindustan Construction Company (HCC) and M/s Sadbhav Construction. The relining of both the canals has to be started from Harike headworks to Lohgarh headworks having total length of 97 km of Rajasthan Feeder canal and 100 km of Sirhind Feeder canal.

CM Parkash Singh Badal and Chief Secretary Sarvesh Kaushal are said to be personally looking into the project. KS Pannu, Secretary, Irrigation, said, “We have received three bids which are being processed. Meanwhile, the Union Ministry of Water Resources has prepared an agenda for the cabinet meeting of the Union government. As and when the final approval for funding from the Centre is received by next month,” he added.

Courtesy: The Tribune