6.5 km long irrigation canal still incomplete after 35 years of work

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 22: It may sound incredible but its is true that even after spending more than Rs three crore and 35 years since commencement of work on construction of a  6.5 km  long irrigation canal, the  project is still incomplete.
This irrigation canal from Nallah Jullera to village Tagan in tehsil Ramnagar, tells the tale of developmental works in rural areas where people remain deprived of the benefits despite crores of rupees being spent on projects under Government schemes.
According to the official records, construction work on this 6.4 km long irrigation canal (called as Khul in local language) was started in 1982 under State sector and NABARD and  a length of 5 km upto Nallah Bardi was completed by 2014 by spending an amount of Rs 3 crore. From Nallah Bardi to Bana Talab in Tagan, the construction was taken up under central sponsored scheme AIBP and work on this 1.5 km stretch was started in 2010.
However, even after six year only half a kilometer length of the canal has been completed and thus farmers are still deprived of irrigation water to their fields at the tail end while concerned Government agencies claim that no funds were available for completion of the Khul.
According to a local S C Dogra, he  was 24 years old when construction work on this canal was started and even as he  is now touching 60,  his desire of irrigating fields through this canal is still a dream  notwithstanding more than Rs 3 crore spent on the project so far.