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Punjab authorities ignore de-silting Kashmir canal for over last five decades

Kashmir Canal is around five kilometres long and is located inside Kathua district boundaries. However, the Punjab government holds administrative control over it. Unfortunately, it has been over five decades since the state government failed to de-silt it. As a result of this ignorance, this canal has been turned into a garbage dumping nullah.

kashmir canal

The Kashmir Canal starts from river Ravi in Lakhnapur area and ends at Chukandar feeder. Authorities have ignored to de-silt it for over last five decades. Kathua canal starts from Chukandar feeder and it is overlooked by Irrigation department Kathua. A resident of Lakhanpur told that the Punjab Irrigation Department has administrative control over Kashmir canal. Punjab government has not de-silted this canal since it was constructed and uprooted trees, garbage and silt has gathered in various parts of the canal consequently. This has resulted in less water carrying capacity of the canal.

Moreover, banks of the canal have also been a subject to significant damage in many points ultimately causing a negative impact on its water carrying capacity. Sources said that the Punjab Irrigation Department cleaned up silt which was accumulated near the Madhopur barrage a couple of days back but overlooked Kashmir canal. Two more canals of Punjab start from this barrage.

Sources said that even though Punjab authorities have cleared silt and other such materials from Punjab’s side but they have ignored J&K’s side and it has caused a blockage of flow of water towards the J&K side. If silt is not lifted from Kashmir Canal then it will harm carrying capacity of the canal.

Anil Gupta, Executive Engineer of Irrigation Department Kathua said that as Punjab Irrigation department has failed to de-silt the canal, whenever water is discharged in the canal, a large amount of garbage waste, broken trees and silt flows with it. The irrigation department has to spread water freely so that they can minimize damage caused by silt and garbage.

He said that whenever next session of discussion among authorities takes place then he would surely raise this issue of de-silting Kashmir canal with the Punjab irrigation department.