At a bend in a channel there is often a silt bank next the convex bank, and a hollow near the concave bank. The average bed level is probably very much the same as in the straight reaches. Removal of the silt bank is unnecessary, and if removed it quickly forms again.
Any length of channel in which the depth of silt to be cleared is small, say ·50 foot in a large channel and ·40 foot in a small one, should not be cleared, provided its length is considerable (say 1,000 feet), and that it is not close to (say within 3,000 or 2,000 feet from) the head of the channel. Estimates should be prepared accordingly, the shallow digging being struck out. Clearing a small depth of silt merely gives contractors a chance of cheating by scraping the bed.
If the watercourses at the tail of a distributary are silted, the people should be pressed to clear them. Otherwise there will be heading up of the water of the distributary, and silt deposit may result.
When a channel is scoured, any regulator in it can be kept partly closed so as to reduce the surface slope in the reach upstream of the regulator and encourage the deposit of silt. A table should, in such cases, be drawn up giving the gauge readings to be maintained at the tail of the reach corresponding to given readings at the head.
Various methods of protecting banks are described in River and Canal Engineering, Chapter VI. The growing of plants on the inner slopes of channels whose sides fall in, needs special attention. Some remarks on this are given in Punjab Rivers and Works, Chapter II., Art. 3. A specification for bushing is given in [Appendix E] of this volume.
A Subdivisional Officer generally receives a steady stream of applications from members of the irrigating community regarding—among other matters—outlets or watercourses. Generally these applications are made over to the zilladar to be reported on. In a large number of cases the applicant states that the irrigation of his land or “holding” is not satisfactory, or has fallen off, and sometimes he asks that it may be transferred, wholly or in part, to another watercourse which he thinks will give a better supply. In all such cases, and in some others, the first requirement is a statement of the irrigation figures. The irrigation register gives only the total for the watercourse. A printed form should be prepared with spaces for showing the name of the distributary, villages, watercourses, holdings and applicants concerned, and the nature of the application. Below this is a form, prepared somewhat as shown [below]. When this form is filled in, the state of affairs can at once be seen and much trouble is saved. The zilladar obtains the figures from the old field registers. The amount of detail required as to the applicant’s lands depends on the nature of his application. If it deals with only part of his land the other parts should also be shown. He may for instance be giving a disproportionate share of water to one part. If a transfer to another watercourse is asked for, the figures for that watercourse are also required.
| Areas in Acres. | Applicant’s Holding. | Total of Watercourse. | Total of Distributary. | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total. | |||||||||
| Culturable commanded. | |||||||||
| Net irrigated | - | 19...-19... | |||||||
| 19...-19... | |||||||||
| 19...-19... | |||||||||
| Total of 3 years | |||||||||
| Average | |||||||||
| Per cent. of culturable commanded | |||||||||
If an application refers to a whole watercourse, the Subdivisional Officer can frequently, with the aid of an irrigation register and a set of chak maps, both kept up to date, dispose personally of the case. A good plan is to settle cases when on tour near the place concerned, the applicant and the zilladar being present as well as any other persons concerned. A certain number of cases have to come up again on the following tour, but all are settled in less time than is occupied if the papers go up and down between the Subdivisional Officer and the zilladar, the “file” of papers in any particular case being constantly swollen by reminders from the applicant.[39] Moreover, the applicants know that their views are known to the Subdivisional Officer. If the outlets on a channel need a general remodelling, such applications as those under consideration receive attention in connection with the scheme. Otherwise all the applications concerning one distributary can be considered together. If, however, a case is pressing, or the steps to be taken obvious, it can be settled without reference to any other case.
[39] The plan of personal settlement is distasteful not only to the subordinates, but to the munshi who has charge of the “vernacular files.” Ordinarily he can delay a case, or manipulate it to some extent.
The general arrangements for the “revenue” work or assessment of water rates have been stated in Art. 1. In the Punjab the remissions for failed crops are a source of trouble. In some districts the failed areas are small, and no particular trouble arises, but in other districts such areas are often very large. On perennial canals the crop inspection is done by the zilladars, on most of the inundation canals by the subordinates of the District Magistrate.[40] In both cases the amount of labour involved is enormous, and the corruption to which the system gives rise is also enormous. In the case of the inundation canals the superior staff of the District Magistrate nominally make checks, but the time at their disposal is wholly inadequate. In the case of the perennial canals the Canal Engineers are able to exercise considerable checks, but nothing like enough. In fact the state of a crop and the proportion of the charge on it which should be remitted is a difficult thing to judge, even if the subordinates were without guile. It is understood that a new and statesmanlike system is now to be introduced, the District Magistrate deciding, in consultation with the Executive Engineer, whether the season is such as to call for any general remission for each kind of crop, and, if so, to what extent. The proportion to be remitted in that crop is then to be fixed, and it is to be the same for every one.