SIALKOT, Dec 25: The Punjab Irrigation Department on Thursday closed the third main artery -- Upper Chenab Canal (UCC) – owing to acute water shortage in the river.

Suspension of water flow by India for several months had resulted in dry conditions.

Irrigation officials told newsmen at Sambrial on Thursday that the UCC had been closed for an ‘indefinite period’ owing to non-availability of water in the Chenab.

Two main arteries -- Marala-Ravi-Link (MR Link) Canal and Bambaanwala-Ravi-Baidiyaan (BRB) Canal -- had already been lying closed for the last several months owing to water shortage in the Chenab.

The farming community was of the view that the economy would suffer a major setback if the situation persisted. Under the prevailing situation, it would be too difficult to achieve wheat cultivation target fixed by the provincial government for Rabi season.

An irrigation official at Head Marala told this correspondent by telephone that Chenab at Head Marala was presenting a horrible look these days due to water closure by India. According to irrigation officials, over 10 million acre arable land had been affected in Sialkot, Gujranwala, Sheikhupura, Jhang, Faisalabad and other districts which comprised food basket of Punjab.

They said paddy and other seasonal crops on more than 2.5 million acre land across Punjab had already been affected due to the Indian move.