“The completion of under progress Banur canal system would lead to further strengthening of irrigation system of the state. The said project would be completed in December, 2016 at a cost of Rs. 95.50 crore and the farmers of 60 villages would be benefitted by it from January, 2017 with 37581 acre area getting irrigational facilities.”Disclosing this, Punjab Irrigation Minister S. Sharanjit Singh Dhillon said that this project would result in water supply to the additional 1215 hectare area which would provide better opportunities to the farmers for growing green fodder for the cattle besides proving beneficial to crops also. The project would lead to the discharge of the Banur canal increase to the level of 133.60 cusec from 102 cusec. He also revealed that all the works concerned with the project namely-constructing guide bunds and banur canal construction would be completed by December 2016.
Divulging more, S. Dhillon said that the project would be instrumental in increasing the CCA of around 70 villages of Derabassi, Rajpura and Banur from 14000 to 15215 hectare and the villages surrounding lower right and left sides of the river Ghaggar would be able to avail additional irrigation amenities. He also said that the project would also be a game changer in saving the water level beneath soil from going further down, ensure water supply to feed tails, increasing area under irrigation and providing additional water for irrigation purposes.
He termed this project as a landmark achievement of SAD-BJP government.The Irrigation minister further detailed that Banur canal runs its course for only 4 or 5 months in a year and the Ghaggar river, providing water to banur canal, originates from the shiwalik mountains, passes through Haryana and takes a northwards turn from Chandigarh road towards lower side of the river at village Bhankharpur, passes through Patiala, Sangrur and Mansa districts again into Haryana and ends in Rajasthan.
He also informed that no other irrigation system from Ghaggar river owes its existence except Banur canal system and this half yearly system too is more than 100 years old. The main canal of the system which includes Banur canal, is 37 K.M. in length and the 9 minors and 3 sub-minors originating from it are estimated to be total 44 K.M. in length.S. Dhillon also said that Banur canal originates from Ghaggar river near Chhatbir zoo and every year a makeshift dam was constructed on Ghaggar river to give water to Banur canal for which purpose 102 cusec of water was provided through small canal (Quaint). He also said that earlier the makeshift dam every year was constructed during October and due to heavy rains and flooded Ghaggar this dam would get broken up during June/July. Now, this problem has been redressed and this canal would be utilized for irrigation purposes for the entire year.