Farmers oppose flow of water into Pakistan

Abohar, May 20

Upset over the fact that water from Punjab was being “allowed” to flow into the Kasur area of West Punjab, a province in Pakistan, the Kisan Sangharsh Samiti (KSS) has sought intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat into the matter.

Samiti spokesman Subhash Sehgal said in the past, Bhakra Dam had a storage capacity ranging from 1,462 to 1,690 feet, Pong Dam 1,260 to 1,420 feet and Ranjit Sagar Dam 527 feet, all of these were constructed to meet the needs of farmers. However, in the past two decades, the Bhakra Beas Management Board had reduced the water level in Bhakra Dam by 15 feet to prevent flooding. Due to poor management, thousands of cusecs of water was allowed to flow to Pakistan in May. — OC