Jat protest: Security deployed along Munak canal in Sonepat
PRECAUTION CRPF and RAF guard canal in the wake of Jats’ threat to stop water to Delhi
ROHTAK : As the protesting Jats on Thursday threatened to halt the supply of water and other essential commodities to the national capital, the authorities have beefed up security along the Munak canal, which supplies around 70% of the required water to Delhi and was breached in February last year during the violent quota agitation.
“Three companies of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) and one company of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) have been deployed along the Munak canal. There is a 24x7 patrolling by the forces to prevent any untoward incident. Adequate forces are guarding the rail tracks and highways. We will not allow any breach to happen this time,” Sonepat SP Ashwin Shenvi said.
During the last year’s agitation, the protesters had blocked the canal near Garhi-Bindrauli village in Sonepat on February 20 and diverted the water into the Western Yamuna Canal (WYC) branch, which runs parallel to it and turns towards south Haryana from there.
The supply was restored by the irrigation department after two days with the help of the army, but the protesters again damaged it at canal head in Khubru village by breaking the lining and digging the earth underneath.
The breach had led to an acute shortage of water in the capital for several days, before the damages were partially repaired on March 8 at an estimated cost of Rs 1 crore.
The fears of the Delhi government of a repeat of February 2016 came alive once again on Thursday when thousands of Jats held a demonstration at the Jantar Mantar in Delhi and vowed to return to the capital on their tractor-trailers if their demands were not met by March 19.
The protesters said they would halt the supply of milk, water and vegetables, by blocking roads if they are stopped on their way to Delhi to put pressure on the Centre to accept their demands, including reservation and withdrawal of police cases registered against Jat youths during the last year’s quota stir.
However, the officials said that this time they were prepared to tackle the situation and prevent any kind of breach to the Munak canal, which is Delhi’s lifeline.
The 22-km long Munak canal was constructed about seven years ago. It originated from Yamuna at the Munak village in Karnal district and carries 700 cusecs of water daily straight up to Delhi.