Status of canal water outlets in Sangrur: At least 50% encroached, campaign begins for their revival

It needs to be mentioned that Kotla branch canal passes through this village and water in these outlets is released by the canal department according to each village’s turn. Meanwhile, as of now the project of revival of outlets is being done and release of canal water will take place in the next phase.

A similar situation was seen in Ladda village too. Located about 8 km from Rajomajra, the village’s area on papers under canal water outlets is 13,000 feet, but on actual survey, outlets were existing in only 5,000 feet. “Around 7,000 feet of encroached canal water outlets were created yet again all along the fields after mutual agreement with the villagers. These are kuchha as of now. If canal water supply starts coming in these outlets, our water requirement from tubewell will reduce drastically,” said Jugnu Singh, a villager from Ladda.

Meanwhile, the work of revival of outlets in about 400 villages of Sangrur is ongoing and as per additional deputy commissioner, work in 179 villages has already been completed. On average, in every village at least 50 per cent of the area under canal water outlets was lying encroached, revealed information from district administration.

“If water had been coming in these outlets over the years, it would have never been ploughed by farmers. Now the government is reviving them again,” Harbans Singh, a villager from Rajomajra said, adding that he expects that the authorities will able to provide canal water supply as well to sustain these outlets.

Deputy Commissioner Sangrur Jitendra Jorwal said that the work of revival of these Nehri Khaals is being done by providing employment to NREGA workers, adding that it is a “win-win situation for the villagers as well as the NREGA workers”.

In addition to this, there is another project of providing canal water till fields by laying water pipes under which 90 per cent funding is being done by water resources department of government of India, while 10 per cent contribution will be from the beneficiaries. However, about six months ago, AAP government announced that the remaining 10 per cent will be pooled by the Punjab government.

Earlier because of the 10 per cent contribution, villagers used to create hue and cry, and hence projects were getting delayed. Perhaps this announcement can lay the water pipes at a war footing, said Maghar Singh, a farmer of Rajomajra village.

Mithu Singh, sarpanch of Ladda village praised efforts of reviving the outlets, adding that villagers are themselves are leaving the outlet area on their own. But, Mithu said, this project will be successful only when canal water supply will be regular since transplantation is currently done with tubewell water. “If water comes from these outlets during this paddy season, we will use this canal water instead of tubewells,” Mithu concluded.