Punjab Government should ensure canal water for every farm: BKU Lakhowal

Ludhiana, July 10

The Bharatiya Kisan Union (Lakhowal) today held a meeting under the chairmanship of Avtar Singh Mehlon, patron BKU Lakhowal, at the head office of the union in Ludhiana in which they discussed various issues.

Avtar Singh Mehlon said that the underground water of Punjab is decreasing day by day which is an alarming issue for the people of Punjab. “If the Punjab Government and its canal department are concerned towards the issue of decreasing water, then they should deliver canal water to every farm of Punjab because 28 per cent of the area is irrigated by canal water while 72 per cent of the area is irrigated by tube wells. So, if canal water reaches every field, then the farmers will use stop using water from tube-wells,” he said.

The farmers alleged that many industries like dyeing mills, cold drink manufacturing units and beer factories are using groundwater day and night while farmers use water to irrigate their crops for a few months only.

They also said that a lot of Punjab’s water is being used by Rajasthan without paying any royalty. “The Punjab Government should strictly collect the water royalty due from the neighboring states,” a farmer said.