Jammu, April 2 (INFO) – Water in the Ranbir Canal here would be released for irrigation purposes on April 6 this year instead of April 13, as has been the practice in the past. The decision was taken at a high level meeting convened and chaired by the Chief Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad here this morning to review the requirement and availability of the irrigation water for wheat crop, especially in the wake of dry spell. Minister for PHE, Irrigation & Flood Control, Muhammad Dilawar Mir, Minister for Rural Development, Mula Ram, Minister of State for PHE, Irrigation & FC, S. Manjit Singh, Minister of State for Agriculture, Gharu Ram, Minister of State for PHE & Irrigation, Dr. Ramesh Chander, legislators, Suman Lata, Shanti Devi and Ashwani Kumar, Chief Secretary, B. R . Kundal, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Anil Goswami, Principal Secretary, Agriculture, Sonali Kumar, Principal Secretary, PHE, Irrigation & Flood Control, A. K. Angurana and senior officers of agriculture and irrigation & flood control departments were present.
The Chief Minister called upon concerned officers to ensure that the water in the canal was released earlier than normally done to benefit the wheat crop upon which it was decided that the ongoing de-silting and repair works on the canal would be completed within a couple of days and water released on April 6 up to Jammu city and onwards on April 8.
Mr. Azad stressed on the need to draw up a plan for de-silting of the canal in future during winter and release of water in February to optimally benefit the farmers. He said global change in climate warranted advance planning and asked the concerned officers to provide for supplementing the irrigation facility through tube wells wherever needed.
The Minister for PHE, Irrigation & Flood Control, Muhammad Dilawar Mir said that 80% de-silting of the canal had been completed and the remaining work would be concluded in four days. He said work was going on satisfactorily and the government had already released Rs. 1 crore for de-silting of the canal.
The Ranbir Canal irrigates 34,000 hectares of land in Jammu even as it has the potential for 55,000 hectares. The canal runs through the villages of Marh, Gajansoo, Ghou-Manhasan, Pounichak, Nagbani, Mishriwala, R. S. Pura, Tawi Islands, Suchetgarh and Arnia.