They said the Beacon authorities have reconstructed the canal at barely one foot wide—down from its original three-foot width—jeopardising irrigation for hundreds of acres of farmland.

Farmers in Nowshehra and Chahla areas of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district have raised serious concerns over the condition of a crucial irrigation canal affected by ongoing road-widening work.

They said the Beacon authorities have reconstructed the canal at barely one foot wide—down from its original three-foot width—jeopardising irrigation for hundreds of acres of farmland.

Residents said the original canal supplied water to nearly 1,600 kanals of agricultural land from Nowshehra to Chahla, sustaining vast stretches of paddy fields. However, once the road-widening project from Baramulla to Uri began, the canal was damaged, causing heavy losses to farmers last year.

Farmers had been waiting for the new canal to be constructed by Beacon, but said they were shocked to find it reduced to less than one foot in width.

“How can an irrigation canal less than one foot wide irrigate 1,600 kanals of paddy land?” asked Ali Muhammad of Chahla village. “It seems they have built a drain instead of a canal.”

He warned that if the canal is not rebuilt properly, a large portion of paddy land could turn barren. “It will be a huge setback for farmers who depend entirely on agriculture. If irrigation water stops, many families will face starvation,” he said.

Jamsheed Ahmad of Nowshehra said the newly constructed channel will not be able to handle the water flow once the irrigation supply is restored. “The water will overflow and damage the newly built road,” he cautioned.

Senior BJP leader Mir Mushtaq, who belongs to Nowshehra, said he has taken up the issue with the Deputy Commissioner of Baramulla and Beacon officials. “They assured me the problem will be resolved soon and farmers’ concerns will be addressed at any cost,” he said.

Source - https://www.greaterkashmir.com