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Rajasthan initiates steps to end water woes in cotton belt

JAIPUR: The new Congress Government in Rajasthan has responded to the old vexing issue of water distribution to farmers in the Phase I area of the Indira Gandhi Canal Project in Sriganganagar district with considerable alacrity as the initial signs of unrest have started coming from the farmlands where standing crops of cotton await irrigation. The agitation in the past had proved a major embarrassment for the then BJP Government in the State, especially after the death of agitating farmers in police firing.

Even as the leaders of Kisan Mazdoor Vyapari Sangharsh Samiti -- which led the 2004-05 violent agitation for water in Gharsana and Rawla -- threatened to revive their agitation the other day, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot made Water Resources Minister Mahipal Maderna sit with farmers’ leaders here on Tuesday for a dialogue. Prior to that Mr. Gehlot wrote letters to Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde asking for release of more water to the canal areas both for drinking water purposes and to save the standing crops.

“Due to the sudden reduction in water releases from Pong and Bhakra dams by the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), apart from extensive damage to the standing crops in Gang, Bhakra and Indira Gandhi canal area, a serious drinking water situation has arisen, particularly in IGNP canal areas,” Mr. Gehlot wrote to Mr. Shinde. “As there is lot of discontentment among the people due to non-availability of water in these areas, I seek your immediate intervention,” the communication said.

Mr. Gehlot in his letter to Mr. Badal pointed out that Punjab was not giving Rajasthan its share of water. As Punjab was drawing more water from Ranjit Sagar there had been a reduction of 59,309 cusecs in Rajasthan’s share, he said.

Even in the State’s share of 2,000 cusecs of water for drinking purposes, only 420 cusecs were being made available these days, his letter noted.

As the Congress had supported the previous agitation of Sriganganagar farmers with some caution, this time round the party is not in a position to ignore the demand.

Moreover, embarrassment is in store for the ruling party if the situation escalates into a full fledged agitation as some of the farmers’ leaders are from the Congress though the main leadership is with the Left parties.

Yet, despite claims from the government representatives, the farmers are seemingly heading towards agitation. “If water is not made available to standing crops of American cotton and desi cotton by July 2 we will observe a closure in the Indira Gandhi Canal Phase I area. If the situation does not improve even by July 8, we will resort to a chakka jam,” said Pawan Duggal, Communist Party of India (Marxist) MLA and product of the previous agitation.

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