Uproar over Kakrapar Right Bank canal closure

FARM PANIC | Farmers in Surat & Bharuch have urged the govt to shorten or postpone the 90-day shutdown of the canal

- FPJ News Service

The Gujarat government's decision to keep the Kakrapar Right Bank Canal closed for 90 days has sparked outrage among farmers in South Gujarat, with farmer leader Jayesh Patel alias Jayesh Delad warning of massive losses to sugarcane and paddy crops in Surat and Bharuch districts.

Delad, who is also the President of Olpad Choryasi Taluka Purchase and Sale Association and Director of South Gujarat Cooperative Cotton Union, has termed the move "suicidal" for farmers. He has made a strong representation to Water Supply and Water Resources Minister Kunwarji Bavaliya, urging the government to reduce the closure period from 90 days to 60 days or postpone the work until after the monsoon.