State to get control of 28 canals after election code is lifted

Sandeep Rawat

Tribune News Service

Haridwar, February 21

Uttarakhand will get the possession of 28 canals from by Uttar Pradesh, after the election model code of conduct is lifted in both states next month.

Uttarakhand will get the control of 28 canals, which at present are managed by the Uttar Pradesh Irrigation Department in Haridwar district. Also, 266 houses of the Irrigation Department will be handed over to the Uttarakhand Irrigation department.

Uttarakhand Irrigation Department Executive Engineer Suresh Chandra Joshi told The Tribune that the handing over the control of these canals and department properties had been delayed due to the model code of conduct in force in both states, as officials from both states didn’t deem it right to sign papers at a meeting in Haridwar recently. He added some officials expressed concern during the meeting that the elections had just concluded in Uttarakhand while four election phases are still left in Uttar Pradesh.

Though the Uttar Pradesh Irrigation Department would still have the ownership of the Kumbh Mela land and the Chaudhary Charan Singh barrage at Bhimgoda, rest of the properties that the neighbouring state had been occupying since the formation of Uttarakhand in November 2000, would be handed over to it.

Uttar Pradesh Irrigation Department official CB Yadav confirmed the development and said both sides agreed to meet again and also carry out ground inspection jointly of some disputed properties once the mode code of conduct is lifted.

Yadav said of the 28 canals the control of which is to be handed over to Uttarakhand 16 fall in north Ganga canal division, one in east Ganga canal division and 11 in Ganga canal Muzaffarnagar division.

Notably, Uttar Pradesh still manages the affairs of the Ganga Canal, which starts from Haridwar.

It is to be noted that just two days before the creation of Uttaranchal on November 9, 2000, the Union Ministry of Water Resources had issued a notification stating that only those assets would be under the Irrigation Chief Engineer of Uttaranchal that fall under his jurisdiction. The rest would be under the Uttar Pradesh Irrigation Department Chief Engineer. The assets in Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar are still under the control of Uttar Pradesh. These include the Irrigation Department’s 13,800 hectares, 4,384 buildings, 42 canals originating in and falling into Uttarakhand and several other lakes.

There are several important places and land properties belonging to Uttar Pradesh in Haridwar. From the VIP ghat, Alaknanda ghat, Green Vista park, Vivekananda Park to all important ghats on the Ganga banks come under Uttar Pradesh. Even several guesthouses of the Irrigation Department in Haridwar are under Uttar Pradesh.