The Nohar irrigation project, supplying water to the agricultural fields in Hanumangarh district of Rajasthan, is getting a boost with the repairing of Ferozepur feeder in neighbouring Punjab. The work will increase the capacity and the flow of water in the canal. The canal’s capacity is set to get enhanced from 226 cusecs to 332 cusecs after the completion of work.
The work has been launched following the intervention of the Central Water Commission. A four-member technical committee had earlier recommended the remodelling of the Nohar feeder after the Nehrana head in view of the availability of water in the project being less than the prescribed share for Rajasthan.
Official sources said here on Friday that both the Rajasthan and the Punjab governments had agreed to work jointly to increase the water supply to the Nohar project. Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat convened a meeting of officials from both the States recently for taking up renovation work at Baruwali distributary and Fatehabad branch.
The Rajasthan government has sent a pre-feasibility report with an estimated expenditure of ₹139.51 crore to Haryana, through which the Baruwali distributary flows. The progress of work was reviewed at a meeting of the Rajasthan and Haryana government officials with the Bhakra Beas Management Board last month.
The Central Water Commission has also asked the Punjab government to prepared a detailed project report for reconstruction of the Ferozepur feeder. The excess water from the 51.3-km-long feeder, with the capacity of 11,192 cusecs, is often diverted to Pakistan during heavy rains.
If the additional water is supplied to the Ganga Canal system in Sriganganagar district through the Bikaner Canal, it will immensely benefit the region, according to the local farmers. They have been demanding the reconstruction of the Ferozepur feeder for this reason.
