ISLAMABAD - AHMAD AHMADANI - Owing to ongoing controversy between contractors and Punjab Irrigation Department over cost of desilting of perennial waterways, work to clear silt from 143 perennial canals of the entire province so far could not take place.
Canals taking off from rivers Indus, Jhelum and Chenab are closed with start of January for a month long period for clearing silt and garbage from waterways purpose after a decision of Punjab Irrigation Department to start annual silt removal campaign in the province for Rabi 2012-13. Desilitng is carried out annually in six zones of Provincial Irrigation Department including Dera Ghazi Khan, Multan, Bahwalpur, Faisalabad, Sargodha and Lahore to irrigate more than 87 lack acres of entire province with a purpose to save water resource to meet the irrigations demands by maintaining its water flows in canals, branches and distributaries and through clearing silt, garbage and initiating repairing work. The Chief Engineers of these zones were assigned to lead this annual campaign of de-silting of waterways from January 4, 2013 with the help and support of farmers as well as provincial government’s funds.
Sources aware of the matter told TheNation that desilting of all 143 perennial canals of the province so far could not carried out due to persistent controversy on reduced cost of per unit for desilting of canals between the provincial government and the contractors. They said controversy emerged after the decision of reduced rates, which are less even than the estimated cost. The contractors are demanding new rates while the high-ups of provincial irrigation department are adamant and insisting to initiate work on old (previous year) rates and complete it till January 28 because the scheduled date of water supply in perennial waterways is set January 29.
“Punjab government has provided 80 per cent reduced funds in comparison to previous year’s allocation for the purpose, which is less than the estimated cost as proposed by the officials, a reliable source said, adding, that Machinery Division of provincial irrigation department has so far not responded to the repeated requests of its patron department.
The sources were of the opinion that as provincial irrigation department is lagging behind in commencing the desilting work of canals throughout the province ostensibly owing to delay in tender calls coupled with reduced cost of desilting so it is feared that delay in desilting of waterways is likely that would impact on Rabi crops especially largely cultivated/grown wheat.
“Desilting of canals is not possible within remaining scheduled timings,” sources said, adding, “Just fifteen days are left with irrigation department to resume water supply in perennial canals so wheat crop of the province would badly affect and large quantity of wastage of precious water resource in canals, distributaries and branches is possible.”
It was also learnt that four days earlier Punjab Irrigation Department has officially requested its Machinery Division to initiate work after finding strict resistance and strike calls by the contractors over reduced cost of clearing the perennial waterways of the province. But no response received from the division so it is believed that woes and worries of farmers, growers affiliated with agri field and common public in result would witness increase. Short of rains and long hours electricity outages for a long time coupled with presence of brackish water in South Punjab areas would contribute towards adding miseries with each passing day.
And, people of Punjab province as a whole are already bearing heavy brunt of long hours electricity outages coupled with high price of diesel for a long time besides with un-desilited canals.
It merits mentioning here that desilting of canals was scheduled with the start of January 2013 and was scheduled to complete till January 28. Desilting work on Upper Pakpattan canal on December 30 to January 16, Lower Pakpattan canal January 12 to January 29, Trimmu canals and Trimmu Sidhani (TS) Link canal on January 10 to January 27, Sidhnai canal and Sidhnai Mailsi (SMB) link January 11 to January 28, Lower Bahawal canal and Thaal canal January 13, Panjnad canals January 3 and Taunsa canals on 31 December would remain close. He also informed about the closure schedule of those canals which take off from Rasul, Khanki, Marala, Qadirabad, Balloki, Sulemani, Sidhnai and Panjnad irrigation head-works that lower Jhelum, Rasul Qadirabad link and upper Chenab canals will be closed on December 26 (today) Qadirabad Balloki link and central Bari canals on December 27, lower Barri Doab canal and Balloki Slemanki link on December 29, Eastern Sadiqia Canal on December 30, Upper Jhelum canal on January 12, Lower Chenab canal on January 13, and Upper Bahawal canal on January 13 for de-silting purposes and to save water and avoid seepages in canal irrigated areas.