Annual desilting of canal has been delayed due to the “worst incompetence of the irrigation department”, a matter which has worried the farmers.
All the canals of the province are closed for one month from January 1 each year for desilting to ensure uninterrupted supply of canal water for irrigation of agricultural lands at the end of canals (TAIL).
For this purpose, the process of desilting of the canals by machines starts in the beginning of January which is completed before the end of the month, and the supply of canal water is resumed as per the norms from February 1 so that in the last phase of cultivation, the required amount of canal water is available to the wheat crop in time.
However, the campaign for desilting the Rajabas and canals of Chichawatni tehsil started after a delay of half a month in January this year due to the worst negligence and carelessness of the Irrigation department.
Farmers, already upset by the “fertilizer mafia”, are worried about the delayed start of the canal desilting campaign and its slow speed.
There is a strong risk of delay in the timely availability of canal water due to slow speed in cleaning. The farmers' organizations, frustrated by the fertilizer crisis, are calling it the worst incompetence and gross negligence of the Irrigation department.
There is a foul smell in the stagnant water in the canals due to the delayed start of canal desilting campaign.
The dumping of garbage has turned the canals into piles of foul-smelling dirt and mud due to which the 12L branch passing through the inner city is showing the view of sewage. The stench has made it difficult for passersby, including shopkeepers and residents of settlements along the canal, to breathe.
The local spokespersons for the Pakistan Kisan Ittehad, a nationwide organization of farmers and farmers from different villages, including Chaudhry Saeed Rasheed, Chaudhry Javed Iqbal and Chaudhry Muhammad Rafiq, have termed the situation alarming and said that the timely supply of canal water to the farmers during the month of February should be ensured.
Otherwise, it would have a devastating effect on the wheat crop. In this regard, Sheikh Omar Abrar of District Sahiwal termed the impression of delay and slowness wrong and said that the work of desilting of all the branches, including the 12L branch.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 29th, 2022.
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