Excelsior Correspondent
KATHUA, Aug 10: Irrigation water supply to a vast area of land in Kathua tehsil has been affected after the siphon of a nallah passing over the Kathua canal collapsed near Gurudwara in Sawan Chak area of Ward 14 today resulting into the breach in 60 meter area of canal. Besides water supply, power supply as well as telecommunication services to some localities in the tehsil were also affected after the PHE water pipes, low tension power line and telecommunication wires passing from the area were also snapped due to collapse of the siphon.
The portion of the communication road passing along the canal and linking the area with DC Office Kathua and Railway station was also damaged. However, a major tragedy was averted as no vehicle as well as people were passing through the road at that time.
As panic gripped the entire area after the collapse of siphon, the Deputy Commissioner, Kathua, Ramesh Kumar, Superintending Engineer Irrigation and Flood Control Kathua, Executive Engineer Irrigation, Executive Engineer R&B as well as other senior civil and police officers rushed to the spot to ascertain the situation.
The authorities as a first step ordered the closure of road for vehicular traffic and started restoration of water and power supply besides telecommunication link in the area.
The authorities also ordered restoration work of the canal on war footing basis in view of the crop season. Sources said that about 2000 acres of land were being fed by the canal in Kathua tehsil. As huge damage has been caused due to collapse of the siphon it will take 10 to 15 days in restoring the canal provided the weather remains fair, Executive Engineer of Irrigation Division Kathua told Excelsior.
Sources said that Kathua canal is a life line for farmers in the area and in case its restoration was delayed the crops can suffer a heavy damage. However, the only solace for farmers is that the damage has been caused in rainy season when need of irrigation water is less comparing to other parts of the year, sources added.
Sources said today the siphon of a nallah which passes over canal bed collapsed near Gurudwara in Sawan Chak area of Ward No 17 damaging the canal and raod connectivity linking the area to DC Office Kathua and Railway Station besides, hitting the irrigation water supply to a vast area of Kathua tehsil and also disrupting power, water supply as well as communication link to the area.
Sources said that damage in the irrigation canal has added to the woes of the farmers who have already suffered huge losses in previous years due to vagaries of weather from time to time.
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