Begari Canal
This article has been extracted from THE IMPERIAL GAZETTEER OF INDIA , 1908. OXFORD, AT THE CLARENDON PRESS. |
Note: National, provincial and district boundaries have changed considerably since 1908. Typically, old states, ‘divisions’ and districts have been broken into smaller units, and many tahsils upgraded to districts. Some units have since been renamed. Therefore, this article is being posted mainly for its historical value.
Begari Canal
An important water-channel in the Upper Sind Frontier District, Sind, Bombay. It taps the Indus at its extreme south-eastern boundary, forming for about 50 miles of its course a well- defined line of demarcation between the Frontier District and Sukkur. In 1851 this canal was at its head only 50 feet wide, with a depth of 9 feet. It was enlarged in 1854, when the water was admitted into it from the Indus and reached Jacobabad, 50 miles distant, in sixteen hours. Subsequently, the tail of the canal was enlarged, and extended farther westward. Several improvements have been carried out during the last few years. The entire length of the main canal is 76 miles, and it serves the Districts of Upper Sind Frontier (202 square miles), Sukkur (46 square miles), Kalat (43 square miles), and Larkana (300 acres). About five canals branch directly from it, the principal being the Nur Wah (19 miles) and Mirza (10 miles). The canal is also connected with the branches of the Ghar Canal. The aggregate cost of these works up to the end of 1903-4 amounted to 17 lakhs ; the receipts in the same year were about 9/2 lakhs, and the total charges (exclusive of interest) over one lakh. The gross income was thus 26 per cent, on the capital expended and the net receipts 18-3 per cent. The area irrigated was 495 square miles. The canal is navigable for about 60 miles.
