Excelsior Correspondent
Jammu, Oct 18: The Jal Shakti (I&FC) Department, Jammu, has successfully restored irrigation water supply into Distributary D-9 (which takes off from Main Ranbir Canal – MRC at RD 25500 m near Bhagwati Nagar carrying a discharge of 142 cusecs with a CCA of 5700 hectares catering 59 villages mostly in Bishnah area) after its permanent restoration.
The recent unprecedented floods in the river Tawi had caused major damage to distributary D-9 of MRC breaching its left embankment (for a length of 45 m between RD 640 – 690 m) and both left & right embankments (for a length of 40 m between RD 700 – 800 m) besides sinking of bed, thereby completely disrupting irrigation supply to the villages, viz. Bandu Rakh, Seora, Chak Bana, Ratnal, Shahpur, Ismailpur, Nandpur etc.
This situation posed a grave threat to the standing kharif crops. Acting on the directions of Minister for Jal Shakti Department, Javed Ahmed Rana, and the Financial Commissioner (ACS), Sh. Shaleen Kabra, the department promptly initiated the temporary restoration work recognizing the urgency of providing water to the farmers in the shortest possible time so as to save the standing crops.
Although the temporary restoration of the distributary was completed on 04.10.2025 but the heavy rainfall from 05.10.2025 to 07.10.2025 completely met the immediate water requirement of the farmers, as such there was no more demand of water for the standing crops. Therefore, the department planned to permanently restore the distributary by way of pitching and grouting of the damaged section and completed the same on 16.10.2025, which otherwise would have been done during the closure period i.e. January to March, 2026.
The successful recharging of the canal today, as a result of the department’s prompt and proactive measures, will ensure uninterrupted irrigation supplies for the upcoming rabi crop season which once again reaffirms the department’s commitment to safeguard the interests of farmers.
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