Punjab stops water supply to Kathua canals

There are two vital canals as lifeline canals for purposes of irrigation in Kathua and Samba districts in Jammu division and water flows in them from neighbouring Madhopur in Punjab state which has been abruptly stopped . This has sent a wave of anxiety among the farmers of these districts who depend upon these canals for irrigating their agricultural land. We understand that due to some urgent repairing work undertaken in the main Madhopur Headwork going on for the last few days and may take more than 10 days, water has been stopped flowing down these canals.
Prudence and proper understanding demanded that the Government of Jammu and Kashmir should have been informed by the Punjab Government which it did not due to reasons not known. Farmers here otherwise busy this time with sowing kharif crop including paddy do need water urgently. Again , miscalculations and mismanagement of things could be seen in the timing of repairs of the Headworks by Punjab Government which should have been undertaken a month and a half earlier and not now when water was most needed to irrigate thousands of hectares of parched land growing paddy and vegetables etc in these districts of Jammu . We, however, expect a better coordination between Punjab and JK Governments in such matters and no resorting to any type of politics or any consideration extraneous to the interests of the farming community of Kathua and Samba . Early resolution of the ‘crisis’ is hoped.