UP irrigation dept gears up for sowing season

TO ENSURE REGULAR SUPPLY OF WATER FOR AGRICULTURE, THE STATE GOVT WILL STRENGTHEN PROJECTS INCLUDING THE SARYU CANAL, ARJUN CANAL, MIDDLE GANGA PROJECTS

With the met department predicting deficit monsoon due to resurfacing of El Nino, the state government has started preparation for making water available for irrigation purpose during the sowing season.

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath has directed the Irrigation department to prepare a work plan and to get it implemented before the onset of monsoon.

Irrigation minister Dharampal Singh said on Thursday, “Water will be supplied through canals, ponds and tube wells for irrigation during the sowing season. Cultivation during rabi (wheat) and kharif (paddy) is carried out on over 254.15 lakh hectare land. Water will be supplied through 74659.57 km canal network, 33375 tube wells, 28 pump canals and 69 ponds.”

To ensure regular supply of water for agriculture, the state government has decided to strengthen a number of projects, including the Saryu canal, Arjun canal, Middle Ganga projects. Fund has been released for the projects and works are on progress, he said.

The focus of the state government will be on the districts located in Bundelkhand and Vindhyan region. The large tract of terrain in this area is hilly and receives deficient rainfall. The Irrigation department is mulling to use drip and sprinkler irrigation techniques in the areas where the ground water level has also declined. A micro irrigation facility will be launched in the region through 25 government tubewells.

The department has also prepared a plan for the protection and upkeep of the ancient ponds in Bundelkhand region. To give thrust to the irrigation project and complete it on schedule, the state government has set up a Rs 2000-crore CM Irrigation Fund.

This apart, the state government is also gearing up for flood control. Singh said, “Several districts in Terai region, East UP and Central UP face recurrent flood each year. The districts located in river basin area of Ganga, Yamuna, Ghaghra, Gomti, Gandak, Budhi Rapti and Shrada are the ones which face flood.

These include Gorakhpur, Deoria, Sant Kabir Nagar, Siddharth Nagar, Maharajganj, Kushinagar, Mau, Azamgarh, Ballia, Gonda, Shravasti, Balrampur, Faizabad, Ambedkar Nagar, Bahraich, Lakhimpur, Sitapur, Pilibhit, Badaun and Kasganj and have been identified as flood sensitive districts. Along with repairing the embankments, the state government has decided to set up barrages at Kalpi and Mau. Irrigation department engineers have been directed to complete 43 pending flood control projects within 100 days.