Fazilka/Muktsar, June 29 (Ozi news desk): The state government’s promises of ensuring water availability at the tail-end of canals in the south-western region of the state are contradicted by the harsh reality on the ground. During the peak summer season, the Water Resources Department has resorted to closing channels on a rotational basis in Fazilka and Muktsar districts due to the scarcity of canal water, directly impacting the farmers in the area.
At Janisar village, situated at the tail-end of the Muktsar distributary, local farmers such as Major Singh, Baldev Singh, and Malkit Singh express their discontent with the situation. Despite the government’s investment of approximately Rs 60 lakh in laying a pipeline to the village, the farmers have not received canal water since the winter season.
The farmers highlight the unsuitability of the brackish underground water for irrigation or human consumption, emphasizing their continued reliance on a nearby drain and the costly practice of using tractors to lift water. The current canal water supply, as claimed by the state government, is deemed insufficient by the farmers, with the water flow being inadequate and the channel depth measuring less than an inch.
