RAHIM YAR KHAN: Irrigation department officials are turning a blind eye to the practice of damaging the banks of non-perennial canals in Rahim Yar Khan and Sadiqabad districts by locals who have made passages in the dry beds of these water channels that remain closed for six months in a year.

District RYK is divided into two canal sections -- perennial and non-perennial -- for irrigation of the agricultural land and to cater the needs of humans and their livestock.

Perennial canals irrigate the southern part (pakka area) of the RYK district and remain functional for 10 months because the sub-soil water in the area is brackish. The non-perennial canals irrigate the agricultural land in its northern part (Kachha) for six months only (from April 15 to Oct 15).

According to official sources, the local irrigation department has no regular staff and resources for the maintenance of non-perennial canals. They say only a sub-engineer looks after all the affairs under the supervision of a sub-divisional engineer during the closure period (Oct 15-April 15).

They say that the locals residing along the non-perennial canals have made passages in their dry beds by breaking the banks, instead of using bridges to cross these water channels.

Such passages could be witnessed at many places in the beds of Sadiq Branch, Rukan Minor, Gray Minor, Kadan Minor, Degi Minor, Shareen Minor etc.

The irrigation SDOs and sub-engineers usually neither visit the banks of these canals during the closure period, nor take any legal action against those indulging in such practices by getting cases registered against them, the sources say.

As a result, when the water is released, frequent breaches occur in the weakened or broken banks of these canals causing damage to the crops in nearby fields as well as the mud houses.

Superintendent Engineer (irrigation) Ghulam Murtaza Baloch claimed he was not aware of the practice of making passages in the canal bed by breaking the banks. However, he said that he would ask the Dallas division executive engineer to check it.

Mr Baloch said damaging canal banks was a crime and action would be taken against those involved in such practices under the law.

Published in Dawn, February 26th, 2019