Personal Introduction:

I, Khalil Javed, belong to Union Council Dajal Tehisl Jampur District Rajanpur. I am civil society activist and presently based in Islamabad. My native town and adjacent areas are going to be adversely impacted because of the construction of Kachhi Canal. Therefore, I decided to do a very preliminary and investigative field visit to Kachhi Canal site in my town.

Introduction of the issue:

Before 1965, the agriculture of this area was dependent upon the seasonal hill torrents (rowed-kohee) that used to flow during the rainy season form the Suleman Range downward to the east. In 1965, Dajal Canal was constructed. It starts from Taunsa Barrage downward up to Dhundi State District Rajanpur. The agriculturists on the left bank of the said Canal were given right to irrigate their lands. The economic condition of the left bank dwellers improved enormously while the condition of western (right) side remained same. Meanwhile, farmer on left bank of the Canal started their irrigation by introducing lift pumps. Although it was a costly venture as compared to irrigation through regular distribution system, they have been sustaining all these expenses since 1990. In the beginning it was illegal but they were given this right under the Supreme Court decision in 1990. The construction of Kachhi Canal is again a major blow to the economic sustenance of these people who were badly affected in 1965. Although Government has made certain compensation like in the form of cash payment against the forcibly acquired land, but in no way it is a substitute for the permanent source of income. Major economic source of this area is agriculture and there are no other means of employment in the form of governmental jobs and industry.

I, being the resident of the area and a social worker, have witnessed and experienced the trouble of the effected population of the area. Although people are receiving cash but they are losing their permanent source of income which aggravates the situation in the long run.

In first week of May, 2004 I visited the eight effected villages (Dajal, ChittirFaqir, Hanbhi East, Hanbhi West, Hajo, Diraja, Parara and Khowja) of Kachhi Canal site. I met people of different groups to understand the basic cause of their opposition to the Kachhi Canal. After learning about their problems, which they believe that they will face after the passing of the Kachhi Canal, I can now better appreciate the cause of their opposition. Some of the problems which will be faced by the people after the passing of Kachhi Canal are as under:

• Law and order Problem
• Land Acquisition and Degradation
• Floods
• Access to Drinking Water
• Communication Problem
• Damage of Cultivated Land

Law and Order Problem:

This area is particularly known for the high rate of robbery and plundering. There are several incidents of decoities and muders. Most probably people do not visit this area after the sunset. But even then this situation is a bit good because presence of the landowners is a prohibition for the criminals. After the passing of the Kachhi Canal it is perceived by the people the crime rate is certain to increase. The canal will stop the prospects of frequent cultivation which is now taking place by lifting water form the Dajal Canal. The area on the west of the Kachhi Canal will virtually converted into barren and uninhabited land. The criminals would better chances to use this area as a sanctuary. People are very much certain about this perception because the performance of police in the area is not up to their satisfaction. Moreover the people of the western side will be deprived of one of the source of income which ultimately leads to an increase in the crime
rate. This perception based on the fact whenever their dry season on the western side the rate of crime on the eastern side of Dajal Canal automatically increases.

Land Acquisition and Degradation:

Government of Punjab tried to buy the land from uneducated and unaware people through his traditional instruments of terrorism but when a person is ready to sell his land to government also cheat this man through Patwari.

Land Department buy 550 ft width of the Kchhi Canal and paying the Rs 60000 to Rs 104000 per Acre for land compensation from the west Bank of Dajal Canal but WAPDA identify its 600 ft from the west Bank of Dajal Canal and actual width of Kachhi Canal which is observed is 700 ft. The difference of 150 ft is the great loss to the landlords of this area which is the great cheating of Government of Punjab.

Floods:

Kaha Sultan is the great source of flood in this area. During the rainy seasons it creates a great trouble and damages their property and their lives of this area. Flooding in this area was especially aggravated after the construction of Dajal Canal. As Dajal Canal lies between different streams/channels of Kaha, it obstructs natural drainage and thus causes ponding and flooding in the west side. This flooding water often breaks the west bank of Dajal Canal and creates danger for lives, settlement and property of the people of Union Council Dajal.

When Kachhi Canal passed along with the west bank of Dajal Canal it would create a great hurdle against this flood water and naturally it stored the flooding water along the right side of canal. When this stored flooding water break the Banks of Kachhi Canal and Dajal Canal then it causes a great loss of lives along with property.

So far the cross-drainage structures as proposed under the projects are not only technically inadequate but less in numbers as well.

Access to Drinking Water:

The population of the west bank of Dajal Canal used the water of the Dajal Canal for drinking purpose. Ground water of this area is not fit for drinking or cultivation that is why the population of the west bank of the Dajal Canal depends on the water of the Dajal Canal for drinking and for the other necessities of life.

When Kachhi Canal will pass from this area, then the people of this area will not be able to continue fetching drinking water from Dajal Canal. It is also notified that Punjab Province has no right to get the water from the Kachhi Canal. And it is certified that Kachhi Canal will be lined canal and thus it will be dangerous to fetch water.

Communication Problem:

One of the major questions, which are very much perturbing for the people of the area, is that of communication. This is known specially for its poor communication facilities. People use the un mettle path; which turn the situation very much worse in case of an emergency. There are only three bridges in the distance of ten kilometer. Due to Dajal Canal people living on the western side have almost been disconnected from their relatives on the eastern side. Even then they use to cross the canal in case of utter need. In this proposed Kachhi Canal, bridges have not been planned. The new bridges will be made again the old one. It is very difficult for a person to cross this huge canal. It would prove an impeccable dividing line between the people of both sides. Moreover in case of emergency the situation would become more fatal. Residents of this area are very serious about this problem of communication. They consider this project a blow to their sustenance and life also.

Damage of Cultivated Land:

This canal is passing through the cultivated area, which has been made appropriate for the cultivation by the people of the area after long time and with a heavy toll and investment. They have just become in a position to reap fruit of their struggle. But Kachhi Canal dashed their every dream. It has been proposed by the people that if this canal would have passed few kilometers in the west of the proposed site then the cultivated land would have been saved. According to some estimates, Kachhi Canal would destroy about 180,000 acres of land in D.G.Khan district that is now being irrigated by lift pumping on the west side. Similarly, this deprivation from using lift irrigation on the west side is a violation of the decision of Supreme Court.

Moreover it would act as first line barrage against the speedy water flow of Kaha Sultan and old Dajal Canal as a second line barrage to save the population and cultivation on the eastern side of the Dajal Canal.