Munger (Bihar): Twenty six of the 38 districts in Bihar have been declared drought-hit. The situation wouldn't have been half as bad had the farmers been able to depend on canals for water. But most of the canals are old and badly need repairing.
Dakra Nala Canal could have become a lifeline for the drought-hit farmers of Munger, but since its inauguration in 1994 it has not received a single drop of water because its pumping station has been constructed at a faulty location.
"Had we been able to use the waters of the canal, we could have grown three crops instead of one. Now everything has just dried up," said Shambhu Mandal, a farmer.
The canal was proposed in 1966 to provide water to 200 kilometres of extremely fertile land going barren because of water scarcity.
In 1994, Rs 100 crore were spent and the 42-kilometre-long canal was dug, connecting it to the Ganga. Fifteen years have passed but the canal has not been used. Its pipelines and equipment are rotting.
"If only the government does what it promises to we will see another green revolution," said Dr Virendra Singh, a social worker.
Munger faces acute water scarcity almost every year. But this time it is coping with a staggering rain deficit of 51 per cent, the overall deficit in the state being 43 per cent.
The water shortage has made the shoddy work on the canal almost criminal.
The unused canal system is a grim reminder that the government needs to put in more thought while implementing projects like Dakra Nala so that crores of rupees do not go down the drain so easily and farmers can think of relief from the drought in real terms.