R’sthan officials thwart Punjab’s bid to ‘divert’ water

Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Muktsar, June 24

A fresh controversy over water has erupted between Punjab and Rajasthan even when the river water dispute between Punjab and Haryana is yet to settle.

Both the states have even held CM-level talks on the issue concerning the farmers of both sides, but a row has begun over the diversion of water from the Rajasthan Feeder canal, also known as Indira Gandhi canal, that traverses Punjab and irrigates most parts of Rajasthan.

The Punjab Government — in an attempt to provide water for irrigational purposes to farmers of Muktsar, Fazilka and Abohar areas — had recently tried to create a diversion from Rajasthan Feeder canal to Sirhind Feeder canal near Bhullar village here.

However, alert officials of the Rajasthan Government came to know about this development, reached the spot and forced Punjab officials to stop the work.

They said that Irrigation Department officials of Punjab had not even waited to get the nod of the Rajasthan Government. As a result, a team of officials of Indira Gandhi Nahar Project (IGNP), Rajasthan, comprising Chief Engineer (North), Additional Chief Engineer (Regulation) and a Superintending Engineer are camping here to monitor the situation.

Vinod Mittal, Additional Chief Engineer (Regulation), IGNP, Rajasthan, said, “Farmers in Rajasthan are facing acute shortage of water, but the Punjab Government tried to create a diversion in Rajasthan Feeder canal to supply water to its farmers through the Sirhind Feeder canal. This is an illegal way of diverting water. Even if the Punjab Government is facing water shortage, they should have waited for correspondence of the Rajasthan Government.”

He said, “The Punjab Government had created a diversion at the same spot in 2010 as well and that too without obtaining any permission. So this time, we reached here on time. We will stay here until the track between the two canals is refilled. The water supply in Rajasthan Feeder canal presently is 8,945 cusecs, which is much below its capacity.”

Meanwhile, Rajasthan Government officials held a meeting with their Punjab counterparts today, wherein they decided to refill the land excavated for the diversion of water.

On the other hand, RK Gupta, Executive Engineer, Irrigation, Muktsar, said, “Our Secretary (Irrigation) KS Pannu is very serious about the problems being faced by the farmers at the tail end of the water channels. He had even written a letter to his counterpart in Rajasthan about the diversion in Rajasthan Feeder canal and that too only after increasing the water supply from Harike barrage. There is nothing illegal in it. The situation had arisen because the Sirhind Feeder canal could not be de-silted this season and has less water-carrying capacity.

“Presently, we have stopped the work of creating diversion from Rajasthan Feeder canal. It will be resumed only after getting permission from the Rajasthan Government. Rajasthan will continue getting its assured share of water and they will not have to face any problem,” said Gupta.

Till the filing of this report, the refilling work on the excavated land had not started.

Courtesy: The Tribune