IRRIGATING THE PUNJAB

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23828, 7 June 1939, Page 14

IRRIGATING THE PUNJAB

NEW BARRAGE OPENEU

The Governor of 4he>Punjab&(Sir Henry Craik), in April opene<sj the Emerson Barrage at Trimmu, in* the Jhang district, Punjab; andVso vStarted on its work the great H|veli Irrigation Project. f According! to" the estimate, construction would take four years, but it has been completed in a year and eight moaths. The barrage means irrigation!for 400,000 acres in Jhang, Muzaffafgarh and Multan districts which have had none hitherto and provides' fully regulated and greatly improved water supplies for 550,"p00 acres, the irrigation ;of which ;has hitherto been uncertain and usually inadequate. Supplies of water? in other thirsty districts are also augmented. The barrage heads up/the combined waters of the Jhelum and Chenab so as to feed two carjals. Water is also poured into the Jbed of the Ravi Rjver and drawn off into the old Sidhnai main line canal, surplus Ravi River water being used to reinforce perennial supplies; in the Sutlej Valley canals. ' In his Budget speech the Punjab Finance Minister (Mr ManorharalV referred to the Ministry's desirarto press on with the Thai and BhaKra, irrigation projects. The former will bring .the blessings c : '- ', o;' • arid districts of Mianwali and Muzaffargarh and the second to-the Hissar district,'* where rainfall «|is : precarious and there has just bSjen a serious famine. When these, jects are completed, every available? ounce of water in the Eunjab'i rivers will have been utilised. }