UBDC water wastage: Punjab agri dept seeks more carrying capacity of water channels for irrigation
The agriculture department has taken up with the irrigation department to increase capacity of water channels for irrigation purposes in the Majha belt as one-third of the water flowing from the Upper Bahri Doab Canal for watering of fields was getting waste.
The agriculture department has taken up with the irrigation department to increase capacity of water channels for irrigation purposes in the Majha belt as one-third of the water flowing from the Upper Bahri Doab Canal (UBDC) for watering of fields was getting waste.
Out of 8,200 cusecs water in UBDC for irrigation purposes, 2,700 cusecs go waste, as the water channels could only hold 5500 cusecs. The matter was highlighted by local bodies minister Inderbir Singh Nijjar who represents Amritsar (South).
“4.15 cusecs of water is required to irrigate 1,000 acres of land which means with 5,500 cusecs, 13.25 lakh acres could be irrigated,” said an officer in the agriculture department. UBDC originates from Ravi at Madhopur headworks and takes water to different district of the Majha belt of the state including Pathankot, Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Tarn Taran through its distributaries Tung Tal, Lahore Branch, Kasur drain, Nakhasu Nullah and Sarkhi Nullah.
“We must use entitlement in the UBDC and strengthen our water works and take water to the tail end even if farmers are not using it,” suggested Nijjar, adding that at the end the water should be left to percolate underground so as to recharge the sub soil levels. Canal water according to him is better for irrigation in comparison to the underground water, while the government is motivating farmers to use canal water. He said there is abundant canal water.
In Punjab farmers use 73% of underground water for irrigation purposes and rest 27% from the canals. With electricity on agriculture supplied to the farmers free of cost, they depend on the tube-wells and have tilled the water channels into their fields. According to a chief engineer rank officer of the state irrigation department, works of strengthening of canal in the districts of Majha belt is underway which would take water for irrigation purposes.
There is scheme of taking piped water to the farms and there is subsidy of 90% given to the farmers and only 10% is to be contributed by the farmers. Officers in the irrigation department revealed that the state government has offered to contribute 10% also.
