GS Asgotra
Early Times Report
Jammu, March 12: Only one month is left for official release of water to all the canals but the desilting work has not even started, due to pending liabilities of contractors, to the tune of several Crores. The delay on part of Irrigation and Flood Control Department has been forcing the contractors to make distance from the department, as their liabilities of previous years are still pending. The Department has no funds for desilting this year also, so there are bleak chances for farmers, that the canals, which are lifeline for farmers, would be de-silted. Source in the department informed Early Times that due to improper desilting of canals including Ravi-Tawi canal, Ranvir Canal, Partap Canal for the last few years, due to paucity of funds, the tail end villages were deprived of the water to irrigate their fields. "In winter season since the department has stopped water flow in the canals, same have turned into a garbage dumping sites and rather than taking action against defaulters, department has become a mutes spectator", sources said, adding that due to paucity of funds, desilting from some patches has been done, instead of complete desilting. A contractor, wishing anonymity said that he had de-silted some patches of Ranbir Canal, near Satwari last year and the department had assured to pay the tender money after desilting, but surprisingly after the lapse of one year, department was not releasing money so far, adding, "I am not a single contractor, whose payment is pending but there are many victims whose liabilities are pending, to the tune of several crores.
When this correspondent contacted to Chief Engineer of FC&I, Hem Chander Jerath admitted that paucity of funds existed, but added that few days back Minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control Choudhary Sukhnandan had assured for funds allocation.
Minister of PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control, Choudhary Suknandan said that when he was in the opposition, he used to raise the issues of farmers and it would be his first priority to address the issues of farmers.
Reply of another query, Choudhary said, "I have assured the Chief Enginer and Superintendent Engineer to start desilting the canals and funds will be released on time". He further said that he could not give any assurance for payment of pending liabilities, as the works were done during previous government. |
