GOVERNMENT OF PUNJAB

DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES

/1o
To
All the
() Superintending Engineers/Canals, Punjab
(i) Executive Engineers/Canals, Punjab

Memo. No. 324-25/CE Jlaml

Dated: 19-12-20 22

1.0 Please refer to the certain issues which are discussed

during
the weekly review meetings for
quite some time. However, necessary
action on some of these issues is yet to be taken. These issues are as
follows:
(i) Polluted water entry points:
It has been observed that large quantum of
a
polluted water is being
discharged into the canal network throughout the state. Even though there
are strict provisions under various laws including IPC, the Punjab Damage
to Public Property and the Northern India Canal and Drainage Act, 1873

but litle or no action is being taken by the field staff in restricting/stopping

such inflows into the canal. Efforts need to be made for stopping such
instance of pollution and take up the matter with local police.
(ii) Status of water courses:
The depleted state/encroachment of water courses has been
specified as the major reason for decrease in CCA by the field staff during
various review meetings and workshops. The work of restoration of these
water courses is being taken up with enthusiasm by the revenue/field staff
of the department. It is desirable that the initiative being taken up by the
field staff is fully supported and the farmers get benefitted from this
process. It is therefore decided that a comprehensive list of individual water
courses which can be reclaimed/restored shall be compiled at each sub
division level. Priority should be given where least efforts are required.
(ii) Outreach to common people:
In order to increase area under Canal Irigation it is of utmost
importance that a mass movement is initiated at the field level in which the

farmers are willingly involved. For this purpose outreach workshops/events

need to be organized at each JE Section/Patwari Section Level. The staff

may please be motivated in this regard.

 (iv) Warabandi:
a. In a large number of cases the warabandi (turns of supply of water)
have not been updated since a long time. In most of these cases

i) The chak area of specific outlet has either reduced due to

reasons such as urbanization, transfer of area from one chak to

another, change of land use pattern etc, or the ownership of the

warabandi has changed due to sale of land, transfer to legal heir etc.
In many cases double wari has been allotted to orchards.
b. It has also come to notice that in such cases rather than revising
the warabandi the spare turns are being sold to the highest bidders and the
remaining shareholders are not being given their rightful share of time. It is
decided that a comprehensive list of all such warabandi is collected and
only certified by Ziledars. Simutaneously the process of up gradation of
such warabandies shall also be initiated at sight.
b. A major hurdle being faced in restoration of water courses and
resolution of disputes related to water courses is that for non government
Khals, the existing warabandi is bhaicharawarabandi which is mutually
decided by the shareholders amongst themselves. The department finds
itself helpless to resolve issues arising in these khals. Further, it has also
come to notice that without an application from any of the shareholders

canal officers are helpless in taking any action in these cases. It is decided

that in such cases of bhaicharawarabandi, the department shall henceforth

suo moto take action and convert such bhaicharawarabandi to permanent

warabandi

under the canal act.

Pani Bachao Paise Kamao Scheme:
(v)
The PSPCL has initiated the PaniBachaoPaiseKamao Scheme

discouraging people from using ground water by the way of incentivizing

them by shifting from ground water to surface water. It is felt that the Water

Resources Department is the most well placed for maximum utilization of

the scheme. For this purpose the concerned

Junior Engineer level field
staff may identify all such potential areas under partial Canal Irrigation
which can be brought under the scheme. At the same time the specific

PSPCL catering to the identified area shall also be

power feeder of
recorded. List of such feeders identified by PSPCL is attached herewith.

Principal Secretary Water Resources