Thal canal remodelling completes
July 05, 2006
MIANWALI: The project of remodelling the Thal canal was completed on Tuesday with a cost of Rs 2.2 billion. After this, 9,000 cusecs water would flow in the canal, which would irrigate about 2,300,000 acres of land in districts Mianwali, Khushab, Bhakkar, Layyah and Muzaffargarh.
The Thal Remodelling department has also been closed and its staff and record has been transferred to the Irrigation department at Kalabagh. Giving details, Thal Remodelling Project former XEN Tasneem ul Husnain said the Jinnah Barrage (named so after partition) was completed in 1939 and the water in the Thal canal was released in 1950. It had the capacity of 6000 cusecs for irrigating 177,000 acres of land.
In 1964-65, the discharge of water in Thal canal was increased to 7500 cusecs and again in 2006 the discharge was increased to 9000 cusecs, which a record in sub continent, he added. Banks of the canal were raised to 4.5 to 5 feet from Jinnah Barrage to Head Nasirwala (Piplan) while embankments at the main and sub canals have also been raised, the XEN also said and held after 55 years, the bed of Thal Canal has been re-carpeted and the banks have been repaired.
He further said "Rotational Programme" at the tails under which canals were running 20 days a month has now been stopped because of availability of sufficient water for the tail farmers. The department expects a green revolution would come in these five districts, he claimed. The World Bank and Asian Development Bank has provided funds for this mega project.
The Thal Remodelling department has also been closed and its staff and record has been transferred to the Irrigation department at Kalabagh. Giving details, Thal Remodelling Project former XEN Tasneem ul Husnain said the Jinnah Barrage (named so after partition) was completed in 1939 and the water in the Thal canal was released in 1950. It had the capacity of 6000 cusecs for irrigating 177,000 acres of land.
In 1964-65, the discharge of water in Thal canal was increased to 7500 cusecs and again in 2006 the discharge was increased to 9000 cusecs, which a record in sub continent, he added. Banks of the canal were raised to 4.5 to 5 feet from Jinnah Barrage to Head Nasirwala (Piplan) while embankments at the main and sub canals have also been raised, the XEN also said and held after 55 years, the bed of Thal Canal has been re-carpeted and the banks have been repaired.
He further said "Rotational Programme" at the tails under which canals were running 20 days a month has now been stopped because of availability of sufficient water for the tail farmers. The department expects a green revolution would come in these five districts, he claimed. The World Bank and Asian Development Bank has provided funds for this mega project.
