'REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY, FOR THE YEAR 1907-1908' [‎55r] (108/137)

IRRIGATION.
1907-1908.] ikeibatjok. 69 chap> IV ^
Wuisevies were maintained and plantation work was carried nn mtv. =„*; t ± ,, ANi) 1 ' 1011
es ecially°i n the BegAri Canals District. ° n Wlth factory An East India Company trading post. results distbibution.
Plantations.
Indus Left Bank Division.
The Eastern Nara System comprises the Nto River and the Mifhrsn x-u- mu t,
Thar and Hiral Canals, which are all perennial, excepting the Khipra and the Heran The ^ ^
annual cultivation is above 340,000 acres, of which 80 per cent, is by flow irrigation. ' Lh
The N&ra commands 275,500 acres of culturable land. The cuUivatirm rlnr,*™
wa a about 35 000 acres against last year’s abnormal area 147,985 acres, which was maWyZe
to floods, as the average for the last 10 years is 57,577 acres. The Nara suffered much from
insufficiency Of water owing to a very low inundation, and to a large number of snags in its
bed and sand banks near its mou.h. The work of removing these snags and sandbanks was
in progress during the year under report. The Nava was maintained at a cost of Rs 53 140
of which Rs. 29,999 were spent on raising and strengthening the Rata Bund. ’ ’
The Mithrao Canal and its branches were maintained at a cost of Rs 910 „
Ks . 23,000 last yea, ; The work of deepening the remaining If feti the’new moutt ^'
referred to m last year s report was not carried out, but groynes were constructed which it is
hoped, will have a good result. The cultivation on this canal was about 97,500 acres against
last year s 14o,2od and the average of the preceding 10 years which was 154 031. The
shortage in cultivation is due to deficiency of water coming down the N£ra. There was
deficiency of water m the rabi season also which necessitated rotation between the Jamrao
and Mithrao.
The canal was opened on 16th May and the full supply was reached on the 15th August. Hiral
It commands 36,300 acres of culturable area. The area under cultivation this year was about
13,934 acres against last year s area of 22,758 aeres and 14,000 acres estimated to be cultivated
annually according to the forecast statement. The cultivation in the first three years' working
of the canal, i, 6. f for 1903-1904, 1904-1905 and 1905-1906 was 23,667, 31,438 and 36 156
acres, respectively. The decrease in this year's cultivation is due to deficiency of water-
supply.
Canal,
The canal and its branches were maintained in good order at a cost of Rs. 5,008.
An area of 220 acres was allotted during the year in extension of existing holdings.
The cultivation on the Heran, Thar and Khipra Canals was about 1,690,47,400 and 4,290 Other branches of
acres as against 2,523, 56,228 and 7,926 acres of the previous year and 2,324, 59,702 and 4,878 Eastern Kara
acres, the average of the last 10 years. The Thar Canal did not work satisfactorily on account y
of insufficiency of water and consequently the area of cultivation was very small and. the crops
bad. The Khipra too did not get a sufiicient supply.
The capital expenditure was Rs. 38,466, mainly incurred in raising the banks of the Jam Jamrato Canal.
Sahib Minor, constructing a record room and Telegraph Office at Mirpurkhds, improving the
2nd class chowkies at Mirpurkhas, 84th Mile Main Canal, 32nd and 42nd miles West
Branch, and in constructing clerks' quarters at all the bungalows in the southern part of
the District.
The canal and its minors were maintained in good order at a cost of Rs. 1,56,145.
The conditions at the Head works are satisfactory. The groynes in the first 10 miles
have been maintained in good order and continue to act satisfactorily. The canal was not
specially closed for repairs this year, but during the frequent rotations with the Mithrao. due
to the deficiency of water in the Ndra, and during the closure of the N^ra Supply Channel for
clearance in the Ndra, all masonry works were inspected and necessary repairs carried out.
Certain minors on which there is a great deal of lift irrigation were cleared this year as the
fluctuation of the water-supply due to closures for rotation caused them to silt to a considerable
extent.
The area cultivated during the year under report was about 217,600 acres, as compared
with last year's area of 251,004 acres and 228,564 acres the average of the past 8 years. This
large decrease was entirely in the area under rabi and was due to deficiency of water.
. new colonists were imported from the Punjab. An area of 2,261 acres was, however,
given to relatives of Punjdbis already settled on the canal, who had come to Sind in the hope
of receiving grants. Besides this an allotment of 11,216 acres was made during the year, of
which 4,503 acres were given in extension of existing holdings, 2,698 acres to zemindars specially
recommended, 1,350 acres to junior Talpurs, 1,567 acres to Military Pensioners and 1,108
acres to other colonists.
n to the river remaining steady at its mouth and to excellent supply from its new Dad Canal,
te er, tne Dad Canal worked well during the year under report. On account of the low
^j 011 the water-supply in the canal was distributed by rotation towards the end of the
m \ a £ 11 j’ anc ^ immense good to the crops, but the necessity of a permanent head is
much felt, as stated in last year's report. Owing to the canal working favourably, the
11 iva ion is gradually increasing and the project anticipations may be realised. The Dhand,
b 999—18