Chandigarh, May 23:
For the convenience of farmers and in order to give them their share of water, the Water Resources Department disposed of 3222 cases of canal water disputes in the last 9 months. Out of the total 5025 pending cases, only 1614 are left with the department, which will also be disposed off soon.
It was disclosed by Water Resources Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer after a meeting held at his official residence to review the cases of canal water disputes pending for many years. The minister asked the officials of the department to settle the pending cases so that the farmers are not deprived of canal water.
Meet Hayer further said that the State Government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is strengthening the canal water network with a view to ensure its reach to the farmers. The technical staff and revenue staff of the Water Resources Department, including Patwari, the District Collector and Deputy Collector etc., have been put in charge of handling canal water disputes.
Meet Hayer said that during the review of the work of the department, it came to his attention that many cases were pending for decades. Prioritising this work, the department identified a large number of applications of farmers related to such cases and efforts were made to settle them on a priority basis. A total of 5025 cases were pending with the department. Thereafter the government reviewed the status of all the applications received every week and 3222 cases were disposed of in just 9 months. Now the number of pending cases has reduced to 1614. These will also be settled soon.
The Water Resources Minister said that to carry out this work quickly, where there is a greater need for increasing the strength of employees of the department as the work is being assigned to the employees of other places now. Agriculture is a top priority for the State Government and farmers will not face any problem in getting canal water, added the Minister.
Besides others, Principal Secretary Krishan Kumar was also present in the meeting.
