Over 13K courses restored for canal water supply: Jauramajra
As per estimates, 20-25% of water is lost in the open channels which are by and large unlined. Apart from this, around 10,000 hectares used for construction of field channels is taken out of crop production. He said keeping this in mind, the state government has made arrangements to provide canal water to farmers for agricultural use, under which the government has restored 13,471 water courses to ensure canal water to the tail end.
Water resources, and soil and water conservation minister Chetan Singh Jauramajra on Tuesday said more than 15 lakh tubewells are irrigating 29 lakh hectares with 50 to 55% efficiency through open and unlined water courses, due to which the groundwater level is rapidly and continuously declining.
As per estimates, 20-25% of water is lost in the open channels which are by and large unlined. Apart from this, around 10,000 hectares used for construction of field channels is taken out of crop production. He said keeping this in mind, the state government has made arrangements to provide canal water to farmers for agricultural use, under which the government has restored 13,471 water courses to ensure canal water to the tail end.
The cabinet minister said apart from tube wells and canal sources, irrigation water is being provided to farmers through underground pipeline system (UGPS).
These pipes are buried at least three feet below the ground and generally replace water courses for irrigation, which take water from canal outlets, common or individual tubewells, village ponds, farm water storage tanks, sewage treatment plants, perennial and non-perennial river, seasonal rivulet etc.
