That is why the RD Zero of the drain is at the “outfall end” and that of the canal the RD Zero is at its head. Every engineering student knows that the construction of a canal should be taken up from the head downwards and the drains outfall end-upwards. The task of excavating the drains was taken from the “top downwards” and the “outfall” is yet to be built (the notification for acquiring land has only recently been issued). The approved project reports were sent to NABARD directly and did not follow the route earlier followed by the schemes - through the Committee of the Chief Engineers, the Technical Committee comprising the heads of various other departments like the PWD, the Railways and Public Health Department and the State Flood Control Board. So far as the current situation is concerned, the construction work was taken up on a “piecemeal” basis - in sub-projects - and no Master Plan was framed and put to the Punjab Cabinet for “sanction”. It came into force in November, 1961, and the total estimated cost of the works was put at Rs 4.02 crore. The preparation of the Master Plan was taken up and the document was approved by the Punjab Cabinet under the chairmanship of Partap Singh Kairon. (v) Construction of “seepage drains parallel to the existing channels” (termed toe drains). (iv) Installation of an adequate number of tubewells and revival of the percolation wells since fallen into disuse, so as to “stabilise the sub-soil water at an upper level. (iii) Line the watercourses, main canals and distributaries to reduce seepage losses (if found economically feasible). This committee was asked to recommend measures necessary for combating the flood menace in addition to waterlogging.Īfter detailed consideration it made the following recommendations: (i) Minimise, if not totally prevent, the flooding by the streams, rivers, etc. The task of preparation of the Master Plan for Flood Control, Drainage and Waterlogging was entrusted by the Punjab Government to an action committee headed by the Financial Commissioner (Revenue). It undertook valuable “statistical investigations” and experimental work. The committee was also required to suggest “preventive and curative measures”. This committee was assigned the task to study and report on the extent and causes of waterlogging which had assumed “serious proportions in the irrigated areas newly developed”.
It led to the appointment of the Waterlogging Enquiry Committee by the Punjab Government. The second time was after the October, 1955, rain when nearly the whole of Punjab got waterlogged.Īfter the abnormal rain in 1925, the waterlogging problem became more pronounced and widespread in Punjab. The first opportunity arose around 1926 when the waterlogging appeared in the canal colony areas in the “Chaj & Rachna Doabs” (the areas situated between the Jhelum and the Chenab, and the Chenab and the Ravi). WHEN in February, 1997, engineers of the Punjab Irrigation Department took up the task of tackling the waterlogging and salinity problem, they had before them the history of having successfully handled, at least twice before, a similar problem.
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