Consensus Reached on Panchna Dam Dispute

The long-standing dispute over providing irrigation water to farmers in the command area from the Panchna Dam in Karauli district, Rajasthan, has finally been resolved. Following an initiative by the state government, the farmers' protest in Kusay village was called off. A high-level meeting was held in Gangapur City, chaired by Water Resources Minister Suresh Singh Rawat and Agriculture Minister Dr. Kirodi Lal Meena, and attended by administrative and police officials from Karauli and Sawai Madhopur districts, along with farmer representatives.

During the meeting, farmers demanded timely irrigation water through canals, repair of canals, permanent solutions to technical flaws, and transparent water management. The government assured them that their legitimate demands would be met promptly. Rural Development Department Secretary Krishna Kunal stated that the technical flaws identified during the Panchna project's test run are being permanently fixed.

Water Resources Minister Suresh Singh Rawat noted that technical issues arose because the dam's gates were operated after nearly 20 years. Expressing regret over the inconvenience, he directed officials to repair all gates within seven days. The gates will be re-tested on July 17 and 18 in the presence of farmer representatives. It was also clarified that strict action would be taken against any negligent officials, and Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma is personally monitoring the situation.

Agriculture Minister Dr. Kirodi Lal Meena assured that the government will equally protect the interests of all farmers, both those receiving irrigation water and those living near the dam. The roots of the Panchna Dam dispute date back to the 2006 Gurjar agitation. Farmers whose lands were submerged during the dam's construction claimed the first right to the water, leading to protests that stopped regular water supply to the canals for years.