Flood threat in Sirsa as Ghaggar crosses danger mark

The flood threat in Haryana’s Sirsa district has escalated with the Ghaggar flowing over three feet above the danger mark. As of Thursday evening, the water discharge had crossed 28,000 cusecs, and with water levels in Punjab’s Sardulgarh touching over 40,000 cusecs, further rise is expected soon.

In view of the looming danger, the district administration has placed all officers and employees on high alert, directing them not to leave headquarters. Eight teams have been deployed to monitor the embankments round-the-clock. Simultaneously, villagers living along the riverbanks have started strengthening the embankments on their own, citing limited faith in official preparedness.

Fields near the river are already waterlogged, with reports indicating nearly 1,000 acres of standing crops submerged. The administration has kept around 1.5 lakh sandbags ready and deployed boats, motors, and other flood-fighting equipment in vulnerable areas.

Villages such as Farwai, Budha Bhana, and Mallewala, through which the river passes, are facing a particularly serious threat. Locals claim that rodents have burrowed through the embankments at several places, weakening the protective walls. Many say no major repair work or reinforcement has been done since the devastating 2010 floods, which had caused crores in damage.

The situation is especially worrisome in border villages like Musahibwala, Panihari, Burj Karamgarh, Farwai Kalan, Farwai Khurd, Lehngewala, Mattar, Ranga, Nagoki, and Kiradkot, where only one embankment stands within a 10-km stretch. Its fragile condition has led residents to take matters into their own hands, keeping vigil and updating authorities in real time.

Meanwhile, all eight gates of the Ottu Weir have been opened to release water towards Rajasthan. This move, while necessary, has increased flood risk in downstream villages such as Ottu, Dhanur, Abutgarh, Firozabad, Dhani Pratap Singh, Thed Samundar Singh, Thed Mohar Singh, Nagarana, and Bani.

Irrigation Department XEN Sandeep Sharma confirmed that water levels were above the danger mark and said necessary equipment and resources had been dispatched to key locations. "We are prepared to act swiftly in case any embankment breaches," he said. He added that no major damage had been reported yet, but the situation remains critical.