E-Paper
Punjab objects to Haryana releasing SYL Canal water into Tangri river
Patiala DC in touch with Ambala counterpart after farmers of Dudhan Sadhan block clash with Haryana Police, demanding sluice gates at Jansui headworks be shut lest they flood their fields.
The Punjab government has objected to Haryana opening sluice gates of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal at the Jansui headworks in Ambala district after farmers of the Dudhan Sadhan block in adjoining Patiala district complained that it led to flooding in the Tangri river that was already flowing 4 feet above the 12ft danger level on Thursday.
Tangri is a tributary of the Ghaggar river, which had inundated the Ghanaur block of Patiala after breaching an embankment in the Bhakra Main Line Canal (Narwana branch) the same day. The Bhakra Main Line Canal is a major waterway for distributing Sutlej river water and the Narwana branch supplies water to several districts of Haryana, including Kaithal, Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad and Sirsa.
The farmers from Punjab clashed with Haryana Police when they held a protest demanding that the sluice gates be shut down on Thursday night.
Dudhan Sadhan sub divisional magistrate Kirpal Veer Singh said, “We have requested the Haryana government through the Patiala deputy commissioner that sluice gates should be opened only if there is a threat to the population on their side. If there is a need to open the gates, it should be done in a staggered manner.”
At present, the Tangri is flowing above 16ft and the Patiala district administration has sounded a flood alert in the area.
According to the bulletin released by the drainage department at 8pm on Friday, the water level in the Tangri was 10ft but at 6am on Saturday, the level suddenly rose to 16.7ft. This was due to the release of water from the sluice gates of the SYL Canal at Jansui headworks overnight.
Pargat Singh, the sarpanch of Ratta Khera village, said, “I appeal to the Punjab and Haryana chief ministers to keep the gates of the SYL Canal at the Jansui head shut. If the gates are opened, the Tangri will overflow and our fields will get submerged. We strongly protest the opening of the SYL gates by the Haryana government during the night.”
According to sources, the Haryana government has diverted the water of Bhakra Main Canal (Narwana branch) to the SYL Canal. This is said to have been done after the Ghaggar river started flowing into the Narwana branch after breaching the embankment in Patiala on September 4. Consequently, the level of water in the Narwana branch increased, and prompted the Haryana government to divert it into the SYL Canal.
“When we flagged the issue with the Haryana government, they reduced the release of water from the SYL Canal through the Jansui head. We have already raised our concerns,” a senior Punjab IAS officer said, requesting anonymity.
