The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Water crisis
Is Punjab on its way to wasteland?
The water table in Punjab has been dropping by nearly 65 cm every year. Unless the state implements major initiatives on water usage and fixes its canals, it would be facing the reality of barren lands.
By Sarbjit Dhaliwal

The Ropar lake-bed being cleared of silt. Heavy silt obstructs water flow

Weeks ago, the Punjab agriculture department issued a notification, altering the schedule regarding the transplant of non-basmati and basmati varieties of paddy in the state. It fixed June 15 (substituting June 10) as a cutoff date to begin the transplantation of non-basmati varieties of paddy and July 5 for basmati. However, only a few days later, the notification was put in abeyance by the Chief Minister following pressure from some quarters.

The seriousness of the problem regarding Punjab’s subsoil and surface water is yet to sink in the minds of decision makers. The objective behind altering the schedule was to further rationalise the water usage but it now stands defeated.

The Green Revolution made the country self-sufficient in food but it also played havoc with subsoil and water. The state’s political leadership has been fighting legal battles against its neighbouring states and the Centre for alleged discrimination in the allocation of river waters.

The number of blocks where a bore well cannot be sunk without permission has gone up to 45. Such blocks are notified. Of the 138-odd blocks, 110 are overexploited as extraction far exceeds replenishment. Two of these blocks are critical while two are semi-critical. Of all the blocks, only 23 are “safe” as the subsoil water is not worth using for irrigation and drinking purposes due to the presence of excess alkaline in it.

Before the Green Revolution, there were only 26,000 tube wells in Punjab (1965-66). The figure is now 13 lakh. Reckless mining of subsoil water has caused the water table to drop by 65 cm per annum on an average during the past several years. Central Punjab is the worst affected. Over the past four years, there has been some improvement, though negligible, due to the fixing of the paddy transplantation period. The agriculture department says the water table is declining, but its “proportion” compared to the earlier period is down by about 15 cm.

Poor rainfall

Punjab has not been receiving adequate rainfall over the years. Rainfall was been less than over 20 per cent than the average. Since 1901, there have been 32 deficient monsoon years in the state. Normal rainfall figure in Punjab is pegged at 502 mm. If rainfall is 19 per cent above or less than 502 mm, it is known as normal rainfall and if it is above 20 per cent or more, it is excess rainfall. About 20 per cent below normal is deficient rainfall.

However, there is no serious effort to harvest rainwater. Recently, the Chief Minister had proposed that rain harvesting in 10 marla and above houses should be made mandatory. But it is not clear when this proposal would be implemented. The runoff during monsoon is so rapid that its seepage is minimal. This adversely affects the recharging of the groundwater.

Tube wells rule

The state’s agricultural economy, particularly the existing cropping pattern of paddy-wheat rotation, largely depends on subsoil water in spite of a good canal network. Of the total 42 .90 lakh hectares under agriculture in the state, canal water is accessible to 30.28 lakh hectares. Canal water is available to 24.71 lakh hectares, but to a limited extent as water allowance is not enough to meet the cropping intensity needs (close to three crops) round the year.

Paddy requires at least 22 water doses from transplantation to harvesting stage. It needs watering at least once a week.

Also, the water-carrying capacity of various canal systems has come down due to lack of funds for their upkeep. “We need at least 42 million acre feet (MAF) canal water annually to meet our agricultural, industrial, domestic and other needs against the allocated availability of 14.22 MAF from the three eastern river systems,” says a senior official of the Punjab irrigation department. Punjab was allocated 14.22 MAF water from 34.34 MAF assessed in three eastern rivers on the basis of the 1921-60 flow series.

As of now, canal water meets less than 30 per cent of the demand. “In real terms, only 23 per cent of the total requirement for the agriculture sector is met from canal water, 72 per cent from tube wells and 5 per cent from rain in the rain-fed belt such as the Kandi area,” the official says.

“A matter of grave concern for the future generation is that we have already started mining water from the second aquifer in the subsoil. We have already approached the dead-end. We are heading towards a barren state because accessing the last aquifer would not be possible for all. Our political leadership should take decisive steps for the conservation of water. Water harvesting, checking runoffs, judicious use of water and recycling of sewer water, etc. must be taken on priority,” he adds.

Upgrade canals

The over 100-year-old canal system is in a bad shape. The lining of brick-lined canals such as the Bhakra Mainline Canal and its offshoots has developed depressions at most places and is in a dilapidated condition. Lack of funds for the maintenance of canals has affected their water-carrying capacity.

“Our canal systems require rehabilitation, renovation, extension and modernisation,” says a senior official. The state government had sought about Rs 4,200 crore from the Centre for this purpose and a detailed report has been sent to the Central Water Commission for technical evaluation of the projects.

Being a granary of the country, Punjab needs a robust canal system. The Planning Commission can provide the state with 75 per cent funds of the total project cost. Under the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme, Punjab spent Rs 120 crore on the rehabilitation of the first Patiala Feeder and Kotla branch. This canal has been lined with bricks. For the relining of the Rajasthan and Sirhind feeders, a project worth Rs 1,442 crore has been submitted to the Centre. A sum of Rs 106 crore has been released so far.

Besides this, a project worth Rs 3,500 crore has been submitted to the Central Ground Water Board, Ministry of Water Resources, for water table management.

Tapping it right

Breach in canals is common

Solutions are available to check the depleting subsoil water that has gone down beyond 20-30 metres at several places in the state. However, lack of political is not helping. Israel is the best example of how to best use limited water resources.
Micro irrigation: There are no takers for this programme at a big scale even though there is 50 per cent subsidy on the installation of drip, micro sprinkler and sprinkler irrigation systems. In case of small farmers, the subsidy is 60 per cent. But to date, only 28,000 hectares (far less than 1 per cent of the total land under agriculture in the state) have been covered.
Underground pipeline: This scheme is for individual farmers as well as group of farmers. Under it, 90 per cent assistance is provided to a group of farmers under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna. To individual farmers, the assistance is 50 per cent. Under the group scheme, 1,27,000 hectares have been covered while individual farmers account for only 7,483 hectares.
Rainwater harvest: The watershed management programme was launched long back to harvest rainwater and recharge water levels in the Kandi area. Over 1,000 rainwater harvesting and recharge structures have been set up in the belt. Farmers use water from these structures to irrigate about 80,000 hectares.
Levelling, cleaning: There is a programme to level land, clean ponds and clear drainage as part of water conservation measures. However, these measures have not taken off beyond the initial stage. Sewer water should be recycled and the canals should be maintained.
Regulate usage: The Water Usage Regulatory Authority, which has been set up by most states, is needed. It should regulate water use by various stakeholders. Farmers, who are given free power to operate tube wells, should be brought under the authority to monitor the optimum utilisation of water. It should have the powers to prosecute and fine people.
Diversification: The programme to diversify from water-guzzling crops like paddy should be implemented.

How canal irrigation came to state

After the Partition, the Indus Water Treaty of 1960 restricted India’s rights to use the waters only of the Sutlej, Ravi and Beas. The usage rights of the western rivers —Indus, Chenab and Jhelum — were given to Pakistan.

Water consumption

Canal system: Punjab developed a 14,500-metre canal system, most of which belongs to the pre-Partition period. The canal systems include 2,300-km main canals and 12,200-km distributaries and minors. Of this, only about 7,500 km is brick lined.

Back in time: Experts believe that the irrigation system in the region dates back to the Indus Valley Civilisation. In his book, “Canal Systems of Punjab Region”, Dr GS Dhillon, former chief engineer, quoting British author Buckley RB, writes: “Well-built inundation canals existed in the early 17th century in this region. Aurangzeb, who reigned from 1658 to 1707, constructed inundation canals in Multan (now in Pakistan, but was a part of Punjab before Partition) in the 17th century. There were upper Sutlej inundation canals in Doab region between the Sutlej and Ravi. It also records that the Beas changed its course and merged into the Sutlej near Harike in 1790. We now have the Beas, Sutlej, Ravi and Ghaggar rivers.”

However, the existing canal system came into being in the 19th and 20th century. The construction of the Bhakra Dam, Nangal Hydel Channel and Bhakra Mainline Canal and its offshoots gave a modern look to the canal system.

The dams: There are three main dams — Bhakra Dam on the Sutlej, Pong Dam on the Beas and Ranjit Sagar Dam on the Ravi. Punjab gets its main share of water from these dams. The Bhakra and Pong dams are controlled by the BBMB while the Ranjit Sagar Dam is managed by the Punjab irrigation department.

Headworks: The six main headworks in Punjab are Nangal headworks, Ropar headworks, Harike headworks, Hussainiwala headworks, Madhopur headworks and Shah Nehar Barrage. Most canals, including Sirhind Canal, Bhakra Mainline Canal, Bist Doab Canal, Upper Bari Doab Canal, Sirhind Feeder and Shah Nehar canal, originate from these headworks.

Sirhind Canal: This canal system is about 140 years old. Its water-carrying capacity is 12,620 cusecs and it caters to 13.59 lakh hectares. It takes off from the Ropar headworks on the Sutlej that flows from Himachal to Punjab via the Bhakra and Nangal dams, further through Anandpur Sahib.

Bhakra mainline: This canal, with a capacity of 12,455 cusecs, irrigates 3.81 lakh hectares and originates from the Nangal Hydel Channel in Ropar. Haryana and Rajasthan are the major shareholders while Punjab’s share is just a little over 13 per cent. It provides provides 160 cusecs for drinking purposes to Chandigarh and 370 cusecs to Delhi.

Bist Doab Canal: It caters mostly to the Doaba region and takes off from the Ropar headworks and can carry 1,408 cusecs.

Upper Bari Doab Canal: It is one of the oldest canal systems built in 1850s and takes off from the Madhopur headworks. It has a capacity of 9,000 cusecs and has a culture-able command area (CCA) of 5.73 lakh hectares.

Rajasthan Feeder: With a capacity of 18,500 cusecs, it originates from the Harike headworks, as does Ferozepur Feeder, which further feeds Sirhind Feeder, Bikaner Canal and the main branch.

Eastern Canal/Shah Nehar: The Easter Canal system’s capacity is about 3,200 cusecs while that of Shah Nehar Canal system is about 875 cusecs.