According to project officials, the government agreed to provide compensation to land owners. The Forest Ministry also gave its go-ahead last week to cut down trees, said Project Chief Saroj Pandit, adding construction work on the 20-km section of the canal will start. Of the 55km canal, 35km will be completed shortly. According to the Ministry of Irrigation, the project has been facing problems as it has been barred from extracting pebbles, sand and boulders from areas near the national park and forests.