Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Dr Raghav Langer tours border villages to inspect Irrigation facilities

Jammu : To redress and resolve the irrigation problem faced by the border area people, Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Dr Raghav Langer on Saturday conducted an extensive tour of various border villages of Suchetgarh, Bishnah, R S Pura. He took stock of irrigation facilities being provided to farmers through the Ranbir Canal, lift Irrigation projects and tube-wells.The Divisional Commissioner was accompanied by Chief Engineer, Irrigation and Flood Control, concerned Executive Engineers besides BDC Chairpersons, SDM R S Pura, concerned Tehsildars, BDO and other concerned officers.To inspect the Irrigation facilities, the Div Com visited numerous villages along the Ranbir canal, including Khairi, Bishnah, Suchetgarh, Sai Chakrohi, Sunderpur, Dablehar and adjoining villages.The Div Com inspected the entire Irrigation network of the Ranbir canal in border areas and directed the concerned Engineer of Irrigation department to conduct desilting wherever required and ensure that the water reaches to tail end villages.While inspecting the canal at village Khairi, the locals apprised the Div Com about problems being faced due to the dilapidated condition of the channel which reduces the flow to the villages on borders.Dr Langer issued on-spot directions to the concerned engineers to ensure proper upkeep of irrigation facilities up to the tail end to save the farming community from inconvenience and to boost agriculture production.

He said as per the directions of office of the Lieutenant Governor ‘we have to encourage farmers to do agriculture activities in their land at zero line as well.’ He asked the irrigation officials to resolve all the bottlenecks and ensure that the farmers don’t suffer due to lack of irrigation water.He also emphasized upon concerned officers to clear all the tributaries to provide sufficed irrigation water to farmers for dampening their fields.The Divisional commissioner also interacted with the farmers at village Sai and Nikowal in Suchetgarh area and listened to their problems.The farmers sought regular functioning of lift Irrigation facilities in the area. The Div Com also inspected the lift Irrigation projects operating in these twin villages.The concerned engineers apprised that the water level is low in the water body (Nullah) due to which they cannot operate lift regularly.The Div Com suggested some remedial measures which need to be taken to provide better Irrigation facilities to farmers. He directed the concerned officers to make a plan for checkDam or Crate so that water level can be raised and the lifts can operate regularly.Responding to the demands of locals regarding leakage of delivery channels, the Div Com directed the concerned Engineers to make estimates and start the works on priority.Highlighting the importance of paddy fields (basmati Rice) of border belt which is famous in the world, the Div Com instructed the Chief Engineer Irrigation and flood Control to make a comprehensive revival plan of all these lift Irrigation system to provide better Irrigation facilities to the farming community of border belt. He said providing every possible support to farmers for doubling their income is the topmost priority of the Union Territory government.