For farmers of Droli Bhai and Ghal Kalan villages, which are among the biggest in this constituency, the lack of canal water is the biggest issue. Worst sufferers are the farmers whose land is situated at the tail-end of canals. Seventy-year-old Sukhdev Singh’s farm house is located 50 m from the Kingwa distributary in Droli Bhai village. His seven-acre farm is situated alongside the water body. But this is not helping him in any way. Sometimes water does not even come up to the level of the outlet leading to his fields. “It is a curse to have land at the tail-end of the canal system,” Sukhdev said, adding water courses were silted, choked with hyacinths and even broken at several places. Farmers have to spend huge amounts to arrange alternative sources of water for irrigation. Most part of the constituency is in the “dark zone” where water table is alarmingly low. “We have to keep shifting our submersible motors deeper every year,” said Gulzar Singh of Ghal Kalan village, who has now installed his motor 140 ft below the ground which was at 70 ft 10 years ago. Hamir Singh, another farmer, said power was available only during odd hours, which did not suit him as he grew potatoes and vegetables. “This season, I had to irrigate my potato crop with the help of a generator,” he said, adding: “Our land is very fertile. We have had bumper crops. But lack of canal water and depleting water table are indicating a bleak future ahead”. Farmers of villages like Soslian, Bagelawala, Jhandiana and Daulatpura, too, have similar issues. Meanwhile, the SAD has stepped in to take political advantage on this issue. Party president Sukhbir Badal has promised “as many crores as farmers of the constituency need to solve this problem”. Sukhbir has roped in Irrigation Minister Janmeja Singh Sekhon, who has earned the sobriquet of “Irrigation Doctor”, to campaign in most of the villages facing the shortage of water. “Vote for the SAD and see canal water flowing into your fields” is the party’s slogan. Akali leader Nidharak Brar also urges voters to “weigh the benefits” of voting for the SAD. “This byelection has given us an opportunity to get all our demands accepted,” he says. Though most farmers are angry at the neglect of their villages and feel their brethren in Muktsar and Gidderbaha are better off, they understand that the byelection has given them a chance to get their problem fixed. Many of them realise that the SAD-BJP government has four more years to go. “For many of us, it is now or never,” Paramjit Singh of Ghal Kalan said, adding he would support the SAD for this reason. Playing politics Farmers of villages like Droli Bhai, Ghal Kalan, Soslian, Bagelawala, Jhandiana and Daulatpura are facing acute shortage of canal water Worst sufferers are the farmers whose land is situated at the tail-end of canals They have to spend huge amounts to arrange alternative sources of water for irrigation During its campaign in villages, the ruling SAD has been promising to resolve this issue