5L farmers await water as canal network stays dry

Bijnor: More than five lakh farmers in Amroha and neighbouring districts are facing an irrigation crisis as large sections of the Middle Ganga Canal (Madhya Ganga Nahar) network remain dry despite most of the project having been completed.

Farmers said the canal system, built at a cost of around Rs 4,900 crore, has yet to provide a regular water supply, forcing them to depend on tube wells and costly electricity for irrigation. The project includes the Chandausi and Bahjoi branches along with several distributaries and minors intended to deliver water directly to agricultural land.

Although water was briefly released in some areas near Dehra and Chaamar Patei in Hasanpur, the supply was later stopped. Many canals and minors in regions such as Kailsa and Shekhupura Gurjar have not received regular water flow. In several places, grass and shrubs have grown inside the channels, raising concerns about maintenance.

Farmers said water is often released close to the monsoon season when rainfall already meets much of the irrigation demand. They said supply is needed during June and early July when crops require irrigation the most. The lack of canal water has also contributed to declining groundwater levels and increased dependence on private irrigation sources.

Irrigation department officials said cleaning and maintenance work on canals and minors has been completed. Bijnor executive engineer Sanjeet Upendra Narayan said trial runs had already been conducted by releasing water into the canal.

“Around 96% of the work has been completed and the remaining work could not be finished because of land acquisition issues in some areas. The irrigation department is in talks with farmers to resolve the matter. Water can be released in the canal within two to three months,” he said.

The project, launched in 2007-08, was initially estimated to cost Rs 1,061 crore. Delays in land acquisition and funding pushed up costs substantially, with revised estimates later taking the project cost to around Rs 4,900 crore.

The canal, originating from the Ganga barrage in Bijnor, is expected to irrigate around 2.2 lakh hectares across Moradabad, Sambhal, Amroha and Badaun districts. The project includes a 66-km main canal and about 250 km of smaller canals.

BKU youth wing state president Digambar Singh said completion of the project would help recharge groundwater and improve water management during the monsoon.

“Once the Madhya Ganga Canal is completed, it will help recharge groundwater in different parts of the district and also help control floods. During the rainy season, when the Ganga is in spate, the irrigation department will be able to store water upstream,” he said.