Fatehabad dist library issue reaches Assembly, MLA seeks quick redressal

The long-standing issue of the Fatehabad District Library was raised in the Haryana Assembly by local MLA Balwan Singh Daulatpuria, who demanded urgent steps to restore the library at one proper location.

He informed the House that the library was earlier running from the BDO Block building, which was later declared unsafe by the Public Works Department (PWD). After that, the Deputy Commissioner shifted it to the new bus stand building, around 5 km from the city, making it difficult for students and readers to go there.

Following public protests by the Library Sangharsh Samiti, the library was again moved to Bal Bhawan. However, only a reading room is functional there, while thousands of books remain packed in sacks at the bus stand. The shift has also disrupted the children’s library already operating at Bal Bhawan.

MLA Daulatpuria requested that two halls in the Panchayat Bhawan, located near the old bus stand on GT Road, be given temporarily to the district library. He said this would benefit students from poor and middle-class families who rely on public study spaces.

Library Sangharsh Samiti convener Mohan Lal Narang welcomed the MLA’s stand and urged the administration to act quickly. He said the books lying in sacks should be placed on shelves and the Panchayat Bhawan space should be allotted without delay.

The issue has now drawn attention at the national level. AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh and Haryana state president Sushil Gupta have written to the Chief Minister, asking for his intervention. The Education Department Secretary has also directed the Deputy Commissioner to ensure the library functions from a single site. Despite these developments, no action has been taken on the ground so far. The samiti has said its protest will continue until the library is restored to a single location.