50 Years Later, Canal Water Reaches Malout Villages, Fulfilling Farmers’ Dreams: Dr. Baljit Kaur

May 5, 2025 9:10 PM

50 Years Later, Canal Water Reaches Malout Villages, Fulfilling Farmers’ Dreams: Dr. Baljit Kaur

Malout’s Water Crisis Sees Hope After Five Decades

Chandigarh, May 5:
In a historic achievement, Punjab’s Cabinet Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur announced that canal water has finally reached the tail-end villages of Malout after more than 50 years. She credited Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s leadership for making the long-awaited dream of local farmers come true.

Addressing the special Punjab Assembly session on excess water release by BBMB, Dr. Kaur praised the government’s bold action. According to her, this was not just an administrative decision but a significant step to uphold Punjab’s water rights and the dignity of its farmers.

Decades of Injustice and Neglect

Dr. Kaur stated that ever since India’s independence, Punjab has suffered systemic injustice in water distribution. She pointed out that unfair agreements and legal loopholes were used to rob the state of its rightful share.
Moreover, she criticized both the central government and former Punjab governments for their complicity in this prolonged exploitation.

Referring specifically to villages like Balmgarh, Ramgarh, Ram Nagar, and Tarkhanwala in the Malout constituency, she highlighted how residents there had been deprived of water for over five decades. Farmers in these areas had fallen into debt, were forced into daily wage labor, and struggled with social challenges like delayed marriages and generational poverty.

Ignored for Decades, Finally Heard

“These were the same villages that previous Akali and Congress leaders had symbolically ‘adopted’, yet no real action was taken,” she said.
Dr. Kaur recalled how she once took a group of elderly farmers to meet CM Bhagwant Mann in Jalandhar. After listening to their painful stories, the Chief Minister immediately ordered necessary action.

“First Water, Then Election Symbol”: CM Mann

She praised the Mann government’s resolve, saying, “Where others hesitated, he acted. When voices from the villages called, it was CM Mann who responded.”
According to Dr. Kaur, Mann told the officials, “First bring water to the fields—only then think about election symbols. People’s survival comes before politics.”

Today, the long-dry canal tails in Malout are flowing again. Maintenance of distributaries is underway, and irrigation water is reaching even the remotest farms.

Media Must Share Real Voices

Dr. Kaur extended heartfelt thanks to CM Bhagwant Mann and Water Resources Minister Barinder Goyal.
In conclusion, she urged media personnel to amplify these real stories. “This is not a mere statement,” she said. “It’s a lived truth etched in the memories of elders who suffered silently for decades. The system must be held accountable.”