[40] Officially called the “Collector” in some provinces, and “Deputy Commissioner” in others.

It has been mentioned that some irrigation is effected by lift. The simplest form of lift is a horizontal pole which rests, not far from its thick end, on a support. From its thick end is suspended a bucket, and from its thin end a weight. A man lifts the thin end so that the bucket then dips into the water and is filled. Pulling down the thin end he raises the bucket and empties it. A greatly improved lifting apparatus is the Persian wheel which is vertical and has slung from it, like the buckets of a dredger but moving vertically, a number of earthen jars, which scoop up the water. As each jar passes over the top of the wheel it assumes a horizontal position, discharges its water into a shoot, and descends in an inverted position. The wheel is moved by a simple cog-wheel arrangement actuated by a bullock which is driven round and round in a circular track. The Persian wheel is used for lifts of any height. The lift from a canal watercourse is a few feet, that from a well may be 50 feet or more.

Most persons consider that a system of charging for water by volume would be a very great advance on present methods. It has been said that if the water were wasted it would be difficult for the cultivators to bring home the responsibility to any individual. This objection does not seem to have great force. Every individual would have a direct interest in economising the water, and any cultivator who was habitually careless would soon be detected by the others. In all probability the result would be a great improvement in the duty of the water. But the justice of any very rigid system of charging by volume is somewhat doubtful. The great difference in the duty of water on different watercourses has been mentioned more than once. Many of the causes of this are beyond the control of the farmers, and it would probably be necessary to charge reduced rates to some of them.

CHAPTER IV.
The Punjab Triple Canal Project.[41]

Fig. 26.

[Large map] (97 kB)

[41] See Report on the Project Estimates of the Upper Jhelum, Upper Chenab, and Lower Bari Doab Canals.

1. General Description.