The extensive work of desilting and deep cleaning of themain canals across the Jammu region is going on in full swing as authoritiesdecided to delay the release of water into them by a fortnight after thecoronavirus outbreak put a halt on the upcoming Baisakhi festival celebrations.
The Jammu region has around 3,000-km vast network of canalsunder the major, medium and minor category alone, excluding the ‘zamindarikhuls’ and field channels.
Ranbir Canal, New Pratap Canal, Ranjan Canal, Tawi Lift Canal,Paragwal Canal, Kathua Canal and Ravi Canals are the main canal systems of theregion, which provide irrigation to lakhs of farmers in 842 villages,irrigating over one lakh hectare area.
These canals get filled with ‘mulba’ (silt) deposition,especially due to high silt content in the waters of Chenab, Tawi and Ravirivers.
Besides, the Irrigation and flood control (IFC) departmentalso faces the challenge of illegal disposal of waste in the canals as a largepart of the Ranbir canal crosses the Jammu city.
“Over three lakh cubic metre of silt has been clearedfrom the major canals in the region so far. The Irrigation and Flood ControlDepartment has taken up an extensive exercise for clearing mulba from thesecanals in February,” a spokesperson of the Irrigation and Flood ControlDepartment said.
He said after assessing the ground situation in consultationwith farmers’ representatives, water user groups, Panchayati Raj Institutionmembers and the agriculture department, the department has decided to postponethe release of water in the canals to the last week of April.
“The department usually releases the waters in theRanbir Canal and other irrigation canals of Jammu division on the eve ofBaisakhi April 13 or 14. However, due to COVID-19 pandemic, no congregation isbeing organised this year and also due to no demand for water for irrigation,the release of water has been postponed,” the spokesperson said.
He said the field officers have reported that there is norequirement of water by the farmers at this stage, as during previous monthsthere was adequate rainfall and no harvesting of crops has taken place so far.
“The farmers may still take at least one to two weeksfor harvesting the Rabi crop. Rather apprehension of damage to standing crops hasbeen raised in case the water is released in the canals in April,” thespokesperson said.
He said the canals also require clearance of shrub growthsfor ensuring smooth flow of water during irrigation season for which the IFCdepartment undertakes annual desilting of canals during February-April everyyear.
During the current year, the department initiated manyreforms to ensure deep cleaning of canals and ensure transparency in desiltingwork, the spokesperson said.
“Earlier the whole work was fragmented into very smallworks and around 800 tenders were being floated. Unlike previous years’practice of taking small works, this year the contracts were clubbed to ensuretransparency. PRIs and Municipal Committee members were involved for regularmonitoring of the desilting works,” he said.
Besides the regular check and monitoring, the spokesmansaid, the municipal and panchayat authorities have also been asked to ensurediversion of drainage being disposed off in the canals and making propergarbage collection and disposal in the areas around the canals to preventgarbage dumping by people in canals.
“More than 1,500 notices have also been issued tovarious individuals and agencies for the dumping of household waste and garbagein the canals,” he said.