India to rebuild canals, dig new ones to tap into Indus

NEW DELHI: India will begin sprucing up a network of Indus canals, beginning with the Kathua, New Partap and Ranbir channels for the first time since most of them were built over a century ago as well as sanction new ones to increase the country's nearly stagnant net-irrigated area, officials aware of the matter said.

- Zia Haq

The tasks will be carried out unfettered by the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan, which India suspended last month after terrorists killed 26 people in Pahalgam, a tourism hub in Kashmir. The treaty didn't allow or restricted India's ability to revamp, expand or create new water channels from the Indus basin rivers, despite a growing population, according to the Union government.

The rebuilding and expansion of canals linked to Indus rivers were prioritised immediately after the treaty was paused by India on April 23, although roadmaps were routinely being worked on by various departments, including the flood control and irrigation wing of the J&K government, one official said.

India is preparing to begin desilting work in the Ranbir, New Partap, Ranjan, Tawi Lift, Paragwal, Kathua Canal and Ravi canals, which will be done in phases by the Jammu and Kashmir government under technical guidance of the Centre, a second official said.

Then, expansion of the Kathua, New Partap and Ranbir channels will take place after projects are sanctioned, HT has learnt but it is as yet unclear which one will be taken up first.

"The need to expand these canals has been acutely felt for decades. The main aim is to increase their (water) carrying capacity to increase the net irrigation cover," the second official said.

An expansion of canals on the Indus rivers will help to reduce reliance on an increasingly unpredictable summer monsoon, which waters nearly 60% of the country's net-sown area.