| caption: |
irrigation dispute near Jakhama |
| text: |
On the way I saw a nullah as to which there is a dispute between the P.W.D. and the cultivators. A Naga complained that the Assistant Engineer had intercepted his channel that fed his panikhets and the Assistant Engineer said that as the channel was a P.W.D. drain the man was lying and wanted him punished. When I went to the spot I found that the Assistant Engineer had missed the point, which is that water which used to feed the panikhets has now been diverted from the old stream by a catch water drain and comes out into the road higher up. Once in the road it can either go up the road a short way to a drain under it or down a short way and under it, the latter being the nearer way and also the one that suits the Nagas. As it is in the drain either way and it appears to make not the least difference which way it goes, I do not see for the life of me why it should not be allowed to go down the road instead of up. |
