Rahim Yar Khan Braces for 21-Day Canal Closure, Farmers Sound Alarm
The irrigation authorities have officially released the annual and biannual canal closure schedule, known as wara bandi, for Rahim Yar Khan district. According to the schedule, the water supply from Head Panjnad to all canals feeding the district will be completely suspended from January 5 to January 25, 2026. This planned suspension is a routine measure for maintenance, but it has sparked serious concerns among the agricultural community.
Farmers Issue Urgent Plea for Maintenance and Desilting
Ahead of the impending closure, farmers and key agricultural stakeholders across Rahim Yar Khan are raising their voices. They have urgently appealed to the authorities to use this suspension period effectively for a thorough and comprehensive desilting and maintenance operation of the entire canal system. They warn that continued neglect could have severe repercussions for upcoming crops, leading to substantial financial losses.
The growers have directed their appeals directly to Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif and Provincial Minister for Irrigation Kazim Pirzada. They are calling for immediate attention to the rapidly deteriorating canal infrastructure. Their demand is clear: the formulation of a transparent, comprehensive, and result-oriented plan for the annual desilting of the complete canal network that originates from Head Panjnad.
Decades of Neglect Cripple Vital Irrigation Network
According to local farmers, the irrigation system in Rahim Yar Khan is in a fragile state due to years of poor maintenance and ineffective desilting campaigns. This decline has had a direct and negative impact on agricultural productivity. The primary issues cited are heavy silt accumulation and the unchecked growth of reeds along the canal banks, which together have significantly reduced the water-carrying capacity of the channels.
The affected waterways form the lifeline of the district's agriculture. The list of clogged canals includes major arteries such as:
- Abbasiya Link Canal
- Dullas Branch
- Panjnad Canal
- Abbasiya Canal
- Sadiq Branch
- Adam Sahaba Canal
- Aab-e-Hayat Canal
- Sheeren Canal
In addition to these, several minor distributaries are also reportedly choked with silt and vegetation, compounding the water distribution problem.
The upcoming canal closure from January 5 to January 25, 2026, presents a critical window of opportunity. The farming community sees it as a make-or-break period for the authorities to address the long-standing issues. They stress that without decisive and effective action during this suspension, the already compromised irrigation system will further fail, jeopardizing water security for thousands of acres of farmland and threatening the economic stability of the region's agricultural sector.
