Congress MP Surjewala slams Haryana govt for poor preparedness amid flood crisis

Congress Rajya Sabha MP Randeep Singh Surjewala said Haryana is facing one of the worst flood disasters in recent times, alleging that the “criminal negligence” of the ruling BJP government has added to the woes of the people.

The Congress leader alleged that more than 2,300 villages are flood-affected, over 27 lives lost, and nearly 1 million acres of crops destroyed, yet the government remains unresponsive.

He said that major rivers, including Yamuna, Ghaggar, Markanda, Tangri, and Som-Pathrala are overflowing, breaching embankments at several locations. The rising Ghaggar submerged Daddiana and Manakpur in Ambala, while Tangri flooded the industrial area causing losses worth over Rs 1,000 crore. In Jagadhri, 17 colonies went underwater. Roads and highways, including NH-52 and NH-9, were blocked due to waterlogging, while multiple breaches occurred in Hisar, Fatehabad, Sirsa, Rohtak, Kurukshetra and Kaithal, he alleged.

Surjewala said the farmers have lost standing crops of cotton, paddy and vegetables. In Hisar villages — Dhad, Badhawad, Gurana, Khanpur, and Rajli — annual flooding has made cultivation nearly impossible, destroying thousands of acres and damaging homes.

“Despite the scale of destruction, the Nayab Saini government is accused of being missing in action. No effective flood-control measures were taken in advance — drain cleaning, embankment strengthening, or pump arrangements were ignored,” he alleged. He added that even after the disaster, no NDRF, paramilitary, or Army assistance has been called in.

Stating that the affected farmers await emergency relief, he demanded Rs 50,000 per acre compensation for crops, Rs 50 lakh to families of victims, and compensation for livestock, tubewells, damaged homes and public property.

He urged the government to wake up from its “deep slumber” and immediately launch relief, rescue, and compensation measures.