Malwa canal to meet irrigation needs of 2L acres in southern Punjab: Mann
The canal will cater to the irrigation needs of 63 villages in three districts of Ferozepur, Faridkot and Muktsar
: Chief minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Saturday visited Doda village in Muktsar district to inspect the site for the proposed 150-km long Malwa canal project and said that it will cater to the irrigational needs of nearly 2 lakh acres in the southern part of the state.
Mann said this would be the first ever canal which was being built in the state in the post-Independence era.
The state government proposed the canal project in the state budget in March, this year.
“The Malwa Canal being built alongside Rajasthan Feeder and Sirhind Feeder Canals with a budget estimate of ₹2,300 crore will provide irrigation water to 2 lakh acres to cater to the irrigational needs of the southern Punjab. This will be the first canal to be constructed post-independence. The canal will be 149km long, 50 feet wide and 12.6 feet deep. More than 2,000 cusec water will flow in the Malwa canal,” Mann said.
He accused the successive state governments of gross negligence which led to over-exploitation of the groundwater.
Mann said this was for him a dream project, which he conceived even before he became the chief minister.
“As an artist, I used to visit these areas and used to stop at the twin canals. When I enquired I was told the biggest, Rajasthan feeder, has a capacity of 18,000 cusec and no one in Punjab can touch it because of the agreements signed during Nehru’s tenure (former PM Jawahar Lal Nehru). While Sirhind feeder canal belongs to Punjab and 5,000 cusec water flows in it,” he said.
“The farmers of the area on Gidderbaha side in Muktsar district have to lift the water through pumps from Sirhind canal. After becoming chief minister, I appointed Krishan Kumar secretary of irrigation and asked him to start the process of constructing a new canal towards Muktsar district from Harike. Now with the construction of the Malwa canal, Punjab will have canals on both sides of the Rajasthan feeder canal,” he said.
Agriculture minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian said the construction of will help farmers of 63 villages in three districts of Ferozepur, Faridkot and Muktsar.
Mann takes a jibe at Badal family
Attacking the previous Shiromani Akali Dal-led governments in the state, Mann said if Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked Badals for support, they would not think twice about joining NDA.
“I bet if Modi asks for Akali Dal support they will not think twice. They are so hungry for the positions so they only think about it,” Mann said.
Mann said that those who had always sought votes on the name of ‘panth’ had never bothered to take such a step (constructing a canal).
Referring to the upcoming Gidderbaha bypoll, Mann said “Now they (Badals) will come to you asking to save Akali Dal. But I want to ask you why. What they have done for the people.
“Why were such projects not undertaken earlier?” It is because of such an “anti-people” stance, that these leaders were rejected by voters, he said.
Taking a dig at Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal, the CM said she was shedding crocodile tears over royalty for the waters of the state.
He said that since the 1970s her family was at the helm of affairs of the state for a majority period, but it never raised this issue anywhere.
Referring to Mohali-based luxury hotel, Sukhvilas, Mann said: “I have also got all the papers related to Sukhvilas, a resort owned by Badals, and soon I will make a big announcement regarding this.” The CM had in February this year alleged that the Badal family had taxes worth ₹108 crore waived for Sukhvilas by way of a “tailor-made” eco-tourism policy during its rule.