FARMERS ORGANISE PROTEST AS CLAIMS ON PROVIDING WATER AT CANALS TAIL-END FALL FLAT

Raj Sadosh/Abohar.

Farmers from Gumjal, Panniwala Mahla and other villages, located at the tail-end of the Malukpura distributary—staged a protest today at the Canal Colony, demanding adequate canal water for irrigation. MLA Sandeep Jakhar also arrived at the protest site to support the farmers.

The farmers said that adequate canal water has not been reaching the tail-end of the Malukpura distributary for a long time. Due to the water shortage, standing crops in the fields have begun to wither, and farmers are facing severe financial losses. They mentioned that while the issue had been raised with the concerned officials multiple times, no permanent solution has been found to date.

MLA Sandeep Jakhar stated that the state government had promised to ensure the full supply of water reaches the tail-end areas, but the situation on the ground is entirely different. He alleged that the government has completely failed to fulfill its promises, and the farmers—the providers of food—are bearing the brunt of this failure. He warned that if adequate water is not supplied to the tail-end in time, the farmers’ crops could be completely destroyed. He urged the government and the Irrigation Department to ensure the supply of canal water immediately to save the farmers’ hard work and their crops.

During the protest, the MLA called upon the Chief Minister to visit Abohar, accompanied by Irrigation Minister Barinder Goyal. He said that such a visit would reveal the ground reality and the immense difficulties farmers face due to the lack of water at the tail-ends.

SDO Jaswinder Singh Virk assured the protesters that the water supply to the tail-end would be restored to full capacity by tomorrow.