Farmers protest over shortage of water for irrigation
A large number of farmers from Sulah constituency in Kangra district today lodged a protest over the shortage of water for irrigating their fields. Farmers said most irrigation channels in Sulah had gone dry in the absence of proper repair and maintenance by the Irrigation and Public Health Department (IPHD).
Agitated farmers also called on Sulah MLA Vipin Singh Parmar and asked him to intervene so that they could get water for irrigation.
Later, addressing agitating farmers Parmar said following the execution of a dozen of power projects on the banks of the Neugal and Baner rivers water channels feeding the lower areas of Palampur had gone dry. The MLA said he would visit Jia village tomorrow along with agitating farmers. At Jia village water had been tapped from the Baner river for irrigation channels of Sulah, he said. The MLA also called officials of the IPHD, Police Department and the SDM on the spot and asked them to listen to grievances of famers.
Parmar said the administration should ensure that no water was diverted from the Baner river for power projects which had become a major hurdle for farmers as they were unable to irrigate their fields. He said farmers should get water on priority. He said the IPHD and Revenue Department should remove encroachments on water channels. He assured farmers that water would be available for irrigation soon.
Most of water channels feeding the Sulah area have gone defunct because of large scale encroachments. The IPHD is well aware of the fact, but till date no action has been taken to remove encroachments. The Kathul Kuhal, which feeds Darang, Ghanet and Jharet areas is non-functional for the past five years. No one has bothered to restore water supply in the Kathul Kuhal. This year, because of dry weather farmers are demanding restoration of this channel. Similar is the situation in Kirpal Chand Khual which has squeezed below Choki because of encroachments. No water is reaching tail end villages. Below Maranda and Bhawarna, this Kuhal is not visible as a number of houses and shops have come up over the water channel.
Few years ago, the Himachal Pradesh High Court had ordered removal of encroachments. The Palampur SDM implemented the orders of the court and removed shops, houses and culvert constructed on the IPHD land adjoining the Kuhal. However, in the past five years many people have again encroached on the water channel.
Anil Verma, Executive Engineer, IPHD, said encroachments were removed from time to time by the department. He said in the absence of manpower many times encroachments go unnoticed.
