Major relief for farmers
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 5: The Jal Shakti (I&FC) Department Jammu today successfully released water into the Tawi Feeder Channel (TFC) of the Main Ranbir Canal following its temporary restoration. The Channel takes off from distributary D-9A of Main Ranbir Canal at Belicharana and releases water from left to right bank of Nikki Tawi through a syphon at RD 75 m of Tawi Feeder Channel.
The recent unprecedented floods in the Jammu district had caused severe damage to the Tawi Feeder Channel wherein 30 m channel section from RD 525 m to RD 555 m was completely washed away in addition to damage to exit section of syphon, thereby completely disrupting irrigation supply to 42 villages— Raipur Jagir, Sohanjana, Makwal, Mandal, Top Manhasan, etc covering a command area of 6,076 acre (2460 hectare). This situation posed a significant threat to the standing kharif crops.
On the directions of Minister for Jal Shakti Department, Javed Ahmed Rana along with Financial Commissioner (ACS), Shaleen Kabra, to carry out immediate restoration of the channel, the department explored various options for temporary restoration of irrigation supply which initially seemed difficult because of level difference of 2.5 m between the exit of damaged syphon and entry point of existing channel beyond the 30 m damaged portion.
Various representatives/ farmers of the area suggested charging the channel from the Waddi Tawi river by constructing a supply channel and a bund which was an earlier practice being adopted before the construction of syphon. However, this proposal involved various risks like shortage of water in river Waddi Tawi during lean period in coming months which may result in infructuous expenditure.
Therefore, the department finalized a proposal to lay an MS Pipe from exit of the damaged syphon up to the existing channel beyond the damaged portion. The proposal was found to be technically feasible, besides less time consuming in its execution. The work was completed in 10 days with the efforts of the team of engineers of the department.
This proactive action of the department has averted a potential major agricultural crisis as the canal has been recharged today, thereby benefitting the farmers by saving their standing kharif crops besides ensuring availability of water for subsequent agricultural activities.
Likewise, Jal Shakti (I&FC) Department has successfully restored water supply into Garkhal Canal following temporary restoration works after recent flood damages. The Garkhal Canal is fed from left bank of river Chenab via a feeder channel from Rakh Kharoon to headworks of Garkhal Canal at Garkhal (6 km downstream of Akhnoor steel bridge). The Garkhal Canal caters Rakh Kharoon, Sidharwan and Garkhal areas of Akhnoor covering a command area of 240 hectare besides 1214 hectare area in Marh block benefitting Chatha, Gajansoo, Gango Chak, Pangore etc villages beyond the tail end of distributary D-1 of Main Ranbir Canal, through Kana Chak creek.
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