TOBA TEK SINGH: Under a mega project to increase water supply for irrigation in Jhang branch canal, uplift work has been started at Gojra and Toba Tek Singh tehsils.

Irrigation department’s project sub-engineer Noorul Huda told this correspondent on Monday banks of this 50-kilometre-long portion of the canal would be strengthened and further raised from 1.5 to two feet high.

He said presently the canal was wide at some places and narrow at some, and under this project its width would be made uniform.

He said Rs290 million would be spent on this portion that would be completed within almost three years. After its completion water supply would automatically increase by 80 cusecs from Janiwala downstream to Khewra minor canal, which was currently 350 cusecs.

Huda further said a needle-stop water dam would be constructed on this canal to equally benefit farmers whose farmlands had been irrigated through Guddian distributory after increase in water supply and their complains of water shortage would be resolved as a result.

He also said under this project boundary walls would be built around three canal bungalows and their residential colonies located at Dhamman (Gojra), Janiwa and Aminpur, while more houses for low-grade employees of the department constructed in the residential colonies.

He said the canal would be closed under rotation schedule from Dec 25 for about a month, but the work would continue even when water supply would resume.