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.
[41] See Report on the Project Estimates of the Upper Jhelum, Upper Chenab, and Lower Bari Doab Canals.
1. =General Description.= Fig. 26 shows part of the Punjab. The areas marked L.J., L.C., U.B.D., and S.C. are already irrigated by the Lower Jhelum, Lower Chenab, Upper Bari Doab[42] and Sirhind Canals. The areas which it is considered very desirable to irrigate, and which are provided for in the Triple Canal Project, are marked U.J., U.C., and L.B.D., and the new canals are shown by dotted lines. Other areas needing irrigation lie on the left bank of the lower part of the Sutlej, partly in British territory and partly in Bahawalpur State, and one area,[43] of scant rainfall and subject to occasional famine, lies immediately South of the Sirhind Canal tract. There is also a very large area between the Indus and the Jhelum, and it has been proposed to irrigate it from the Indus, but on account of the presence of sand-hills the project is not likely to be so useful as others, and it is held in abeyance. Perhaps a small canal may be constructed, as a tentative measure, to irrigate part of the tract.
[42] Doab means “two waters,” or the tract between two rivers. The names of the three Doabs under consideration are formed from those of the rivers. They are called the Jech (Jhelum-Chenab), Rechna (Ravi-Chenab), and Bari (Beas-Ravi) Doabs.