Canal seepage in Wai amid drought threat draws demand for repairs by Irrigation Department

The threat of drought is deepening in the Wai area, making it essential to manage the available water properly. But water is seeping from the Irrigation Department's canals on a large scale, wasting a valuable resource. The issue has now come to the fore.

Citizens and farmers are being urged to use water carefully, yet the question being asked is why there is such indifference towards the upkeep and repair of the canals.

In the Wai area, water seeping from the Irrigation Department's canals flows away into streams and drains, depleting the available stock. When dam water is being planned, drinking water, farming and other needs have to be given priority. In such conditions, stopping leaks in the distribution system is vital.

Seeing the poor condition of the canals, residents are asking whether regular upkeep and repair work is actually carried out. They want the leak points identified and immediate measures taken. People also expect the department to state how much money was spent on canal repairs over the past year and which works were completed.

There is talk among residents that water is being used at some brick kilns near the canals. A demand has been raised for an inquiry into the sources from which these businesses get water, whether official permission has been obtained, and whether water is being drawn within the sanctioned limit. If water is being drawn illegally at a time of feared shortage, it must be curbed.

Residents also say no one should be held guilty on the basis of talk alone. They want the Irrigation Department to conduct its own inquiry and clarify the facts. If illegal use of water is found, they are demanding action against those responsible as per rules.

Residents want the department to inspect the canals on site, record the leak points and determine how much water is wasted. A time-bound repair schedule should then be drawn up and the necessary work completed. They also want reports taken from the officers and employees responsible for regular inspections, and action taken on any lapses. Official water-use permissions should be checked and illegal drawing of water stopped.

The distribution system needs to be strengthened so that the full supply reaches farmers at the tail end. Saving every drop during a drought is the responsibility not only of citizens but also of the government machinery. The question being raised, therefore, is when the Irrigation Department will actually act to stop canal leaks, alongside its appeals to save water.