Canal breach floods Hisar locality

Tribune News Service

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Hisar, May 30

A major breach in a canal near Talwandi Rana village flooded the entire government employees’ locality today, forcing residents to abandon their houses.

The breach occurred in Rana Minor in the morning, resulting in inundation of fields in the village. Water then flowed to the locality and the low-lying Sector 3, which is unoccupied.

Residents of Talwandi Rana rushed to the help of locality residents, but delayed response from the authorities made residents angry. They blocked Chandigarh-Hisar road for some time.

Tanwandi Rana sarpanch Prem Kumari said villagers with the help of Dera Sacha Sauda volunteers started plugging the breach. Later, Irrigation Department officials rushed to the spot and commissioned two JCB machines in service.

“We are still trying to plug the breach which has got widened,” said Surender Kumar of Talwandi Rana.

Vimal Kumar, Executive Engineer, Irrigation Department, said breach would be plugged tonight.

This is the second incident of a canal breach in a week, exposing the unpreparedness of the authorities to desilt canals ahead of the monsoon season.

A breach in Balsamand canal had flooded localities in Hisar last week.

Sources said heavy storm accompanied with rain uprooted more than 500 trees along canals, blocking flow of water and this led to breach.

“Both incidents of breach occurred because of uprooted trees blocking flow of water,” an official said.

AR Bhambu, Superintendent Engineer, Irrigation Department, said: “Canals have been cleaned and disilted ahead of the monsoon, but uprooting of trees because of storm resulted in the breach. Pumps have been installed in the locality to flush out water from houses.”