Home Agriculture/Irrigation Jalalpur Irrigation Project: Punjab constructing over 200km new irrigation canals

Jalalpur Irrigation Project: Punjab constructing over 200km new irrigation canals

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Jalalpur Irrigation Project: Punjab constructing over 200km new irrigation canals

Sindh government raises objection after nine years, as the project was conceived in 2013, approved in 2016 and revised in 2018. Its completion year is 2024.    

Sindh Courier Report

Karachi

The PPP-led Sindh government has raised objections on Punjab’s Jalalpur Irrigation Project (JIP) calling for halting the work, as excessive water utilization through this canal will leave adverse impact on Sindh province.

On Friday October 15, on the directions of the Sindh Minister for Irrigation Department Jam Khan Shoro, a letter was sent to the Chairman Planning and Development Board to stop ongoing construction work on Jalalpur Canal and system.

The letter stated that the project at present is under construction without responding to the apprehensions of Sindh province. This province has serious reservations on execution of such project as excessive water utilization opens apprehension for pilferage and misreporting in allocated withdrawal at upstream Sindh. Further, it was also informed that Punjab province should ensure that water will not be transferred from Indus River through link canals in order to compensate the water provided to the new irrigation project from Rasul Barrage. In this regard, Sindh Minister for Irrigation Department Jam Khan Shoro informed that Federal Minister of water resources Monis Ellahi was also apprised about the Sindh’s reservations regarding the construction of Jalalpur Canal system and Greater Thal cannal-2 during his Karachi visit a few days back.

Surprisingly, the Sindh government has expressed reservations on the Jalalpur Irrigation project after about nine years, as the project was conceived in 2013 and was approved in 2016 and revised in 2018. The completion year of the project is 2024.

Jalalpur-Irrigation-ProjectAccording to Asian Development Bank, the funding agency, the JIP is located along right bank of River Jhelum in Punjab. The project will construct over 200 km new irrigation canals.

The ADB says it will create new non-perennial irrigation services for enhanced agricultural production on 79,750 ha in Pind Daden Khan and Khushab districts. The project will increase Kharif crop intensity by 50%, improve crop yield and reduce land degradation. It will directly benefit over 200,000 rural people of Punjab.

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