Protests and heated discussions marked the public hearing for the environmental clearance of the proposed Malwa Canal project in Bathinda, Punjab, as local farmers and residents voiced significant opposition. The project, intended by the state government to enhance irrigation and drinking water supply across Muktsar, Faridkot, and Ferozepur districts, faced accusations of being a plan to divert polluted water from Buddha Nullah and sewage from urban areas.
The Chenab Times has learned that attendees at the hearing, organized by the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), expressed deep concerns that the water intended for the new canal would be unfit for agricultural use and consumption, potentially further contaminating the groundwater in an already water-stressed region. This sentiment was echoed by numerous speakers who challenged the government’s narrative of the project’s benefits.
Protesters highlighted the existing condition of two major canals in the area, the Rajasthan Feeder Canal and the Sirhind Feeder Canal. They claimed these canals are already burdened with sewage and industrial effluents. This pollution, they argued, originates from the Beas and Sutlej rivers, exacerbated by wastewater from Ludhiana’s Buddha Nullah, leading to the ecological degradation of the feeder canals over years due to a perceived lack of official action.
According to an official notice for the public hearing, the proposed Malwa Canal is slated to be 141.07 kilometers long. It is planned to commence 8.46 kilometers from the Harike Headworks, running parallel to the left side of the Rajasthan Feeder Canal. The canal is expected to terminate near Warring Khera village in Muktsar district, traversing the districts of Ferozepur, Faridkot, and Muktsar. The project’s stated objective is to bring 86,087 hectares of Culturable Command Area (CCA) under irrigation.
Dr. Pritpal Singh, a prominent voice against the project during the hearing, emphasized the lack of transparency regarding the water quality in the Beas and Sutlej rivers and, consequently, in the feeder canals. He stated that without public disclosure of these water quality reports, there was no justification for the public to support the new canal proposal.
Concerns over potential land acquisition disputes and adverse ecological impacts were also raised. Many attendees demanded that the government make comprehensive water quality reports of the existing feeder canals publicly accessible before any new project is approved. This demand underscores a broader call for environmental due diligence and public participation in infrastructure development.
Officials from the PPCB and representatives of the Water Resources Department, Chandigarh, were present to record the objections raised by the public. They assured the attendees that all objections and proceedings from the hearing would be compiled and submitted to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change for further assessment and review. The outcome of this submission is anticipated to determine the future course of the Malwa Canal project, which remains a point of contention for the local communities.
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