A nearly 50-foot breach in an irrigation canal between Ugrahan and Nilowal villages in Sangrur district flooded standing paddy fields on Thursday morning, prompting farmers and irrigation officials to use earthmovers, sandbags and other materials to temporarily control the flow.
The breach developed between 7am and 8am as the canal carried a heavy discharge and expanded rapidly. Officials and local residents managed to plug it temporarily, while permanent plugging work is scheduled to begin on Friday, according to Sunam Sub-Divisional Magistrate Gagandeep Singh.
Singh said water had entered a few acres near the breach but had not caused significant damage to crops elsewhere. Farmers disputed that assessment, saying hundreds of acres of mature paddy had been submerged. They told the Times of India that the crop was 15 to 20 days from harvest and that two to three feet of silt and sand had covered parts of the fields.
The incident has also raised concerns about the condition of the canal. Villagers alleged that between 200 and 400 feet of concrete lining collapsed because vulnerable stretches were not reinforced despite repeated warnings. Jagtar Singh, a 64-year-old affected farmer, said the canal was concretised around 1986-87 and began deteriorating within five to seven years. He alleged that requests for repairs were repeatedly ignored.
Residents responded before and alongside the administration, mobilising tractor-trolleys and sandbags to slow the water. Irrigation department Sub-Divisional Officer Aryan said field teams reached the site at about 9.30am and assisted villagers with earthmovers and materials.
“Our junior engineers and executive engineers are on the spot. We are providing JCB earthmovers, sandbags, and all necessary materials, and our workforce is actively assisting the villagers in plugging the breach,” Aryan said.
The department is pursuing two repair tracks. A proposal for full reconstruction of the canal is awaiting clearance from the Centre, with work expected to commence next year if approval is granted. Separately, an estimate for patch repairs has been sent to the chief engineer, the official said.
The immediate challenge is to prevent further water from entering agricultural land while determining the extent of crop damage. Naib Tehsildar Ritu Kapoor said official crop-loss assessments would be submitted to the deputy commissioner for compensation after the floodwaters recede.
The final impact on farmers will therefore depend on the assessment of submerged acreage, the condition of the paddy and the quantity of silt and sand deposited across the fields. Permanent plugging operations are due to begin on Friday, while the proposed reconstruction remains subject to the required clearance.
