B’bang’s Kors Kralor digs 11km canals over 3 years
THE Kors Kralor district administration in Battambang province have dug a total of 11km of canals and streams in four locations over the last three years to provide people with water for irrigation of rice and cash crops.
The district’s head of administration Chreng Socheat said on April 26 that the project began after the floods in 2020 which damaged much of the existing irrigation infrastructure. He said once the canals and streams were restored, they would address the lack of water early in the rainy season – and in the dry season – to meet people’s daily needs, provide water for livestock and irrigate crops.
“We carried out the renovation project after the damage caused by the floods of 2020. These canals may not be big, but they alleviate the fears of the people of six communes,” he said.
He said the district administration had dug a 2,500m-long stream in 2020 and repaired drainage systems in Kors Kralor and Dounba communes.
This year, the administration was repairing gravel roads and installing drainage in Chhnal Monn commune, digging a canal in Dounba commune’s Daunba village and digging another – with the support of HelpAge Cambodia – Chhnal Monn commune’s Banteay Char village. The waters of the canals would serve about 400 to 500ha of land.
Chao Cheat, clerk of Daunba commune, told The Post on April 26 that this year’s canal projects got underway on April 25.
Eng Songheng, deputy chief of the district procurement unit, attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the digging of a 2km canal in Daunba commune’s Daunba village. The project will meet the needs of more than 1,000 families.
“The restoration of this canal will be complete soon now that we have begun the work. The canal was old and shallow, so it was not able to carry much water. Now they are dredging it and adding depth. Most importantly, we have coordinated with the local populace – even those who have built fences along the canal – and our work will not disrupt their lives,” he said.