Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 20: Former Minister and senior BJP leader, Choudhary Sukhnandan Kumar has demanded canal water supply to the tail-end border villages where farmers have been rendered helpless without an irrigation facility.
Sub canals in villagers are not cleaned, not maintained and are unrepaired causing water blockage thus making trouble for the farmers in villages in absence of sufficient water for the paddy crop. Moreover, the time slot for operation of sub-canals in villages has added more trouble for the farmers.
Prime Minister, Narendra Modi and J&K Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha have always assured full support to the farmers but the technical and non technical officials of Irrigation Department have fixed the timing of the canal water without understanding the water crisis in rural areas for irrigation. Their motto “save water is also being ignored”.
Addressing media persons, Ch Sukhnandan Kumar said Junior Engineer Irrigation and his staff is stationed at Satwari where as the senior revenue officers are available on each village belt. How can he understand the problems of villages falling in Ramgarh, R S Pura, Bishnah and other surrounding areas from his air-conditioned Satwari office.
Sukhnandan said, “In village Sai area in R S Pura sector, there are 35 tubewells, of which only 10 are functional; and 25 are defunct. In Abdullian Fathepur area, of 25 tubelwells on 10 are operation and rest are defunct.
The senior BJP leader further said that there are three lift irrigation facilities in Sai Kalan, Sai Khurd, and Sai Nikwal, of which 2 are defunct. In Makwal area in Tawi Island, there are three tube wells, two are working and one is defunct and that too without distribution facility.
For the last five years Rathua Kool canal in Marh is lying defunct because of the contractor versus department dispute, said Sukhandan Kumar.
The farmers cultivating world famous Basmati rice are facing negligence from the Irrigation Department which has completely failed to ensure canal water to the tail-end villages along the International Border.
“The fields are fertile yet the concerned department has not taken any serious step towards the resolution of demands of the farmers,” he said.
Earlier, the Ranbir canal water supply was sufficient till Ramgarh and its adjoining areas in Samba district then why the Irrigation Department has now failed to provide irrigation water to the local farmers.
He said that the concerned department should ensure Ravi Tawi and Chenab river canal water to the border’s end villages. However, he added, if they cannot do it, the Government should step in to make sure that the farmers are provided electricity 24X7 in the border villages.
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