Ghaggar crosses danger mark in Sirsa; schools shut, villages on alert

Heavy rain since 8 am has created a flood-like situation in Sirsa district on Thursday. The Ghaggar and local drains are overflowing, causing water to enter homes streets, and fields.

The water level of the Ghaggar has crossed the danger mark after continuous rain for five hours. This has forced the authorities to close all schools in the district until September 6 for safety reasons. Deputy Commissioner Shantanu Sharma has put irrigation and other departments on high alert and is closely monitoring the situation.

Early in the morning, a crack appeared in the Ghaggar embankment near Dhani Sukhchain village, causing panic among the villagers. The water started rushing into the fields quickly. The villagers gathered with soil bags to fill the cracks and worked for hours in the rain to stop the breach. Though the situation was controlled, about 20 acres of crops have already been flooded.

Several villages, including Mallewala, Nejadala Kalan, and Farwahi are facing similar problems, with embankments being repaired repeatedly to prevent breaches. The rising water from Punjab and Haryana is flowing rapidly towards Sirsa, increasing the risk of flooding.

The heavy rainfall has caused waterlogging in many parts of Sirsa city such as Begu Road, Gol Diggi Chowk, Hisaria Bazaar, Nohria Bazaar, Rania Road, and others. Streets are submerged under 2 to 2.5 ft of water, making travel difficult. Two-wheeler vehicles have broken down or got stuck in water, and many shopkeepers could not open their shops due to flooding.

Street vendors have suffered heavy losses as they could not reach markets or sell their goods. Many had brought vegetables and fruits early in the morning but were unable to sell these due to low customer turnout.

the farmers in the villages like Chahrawala, Gudiakhera, and Darba have reported damage to their crops due to waterlogging. More than 75,000 hectares of crops in the district are estimated to be damaged. Around 150 families from affected villages have been shifted to safer places.

Officials and local politicians, including MLA Gokul Setia and MLA Shispal Kahrwala, have visited the affected areas and assured people of support. However, many villagers complained that government measures were insufficient and delayed. They say embankments were not strengthened in time, leading to this crisis.

The district administration is working day and night to strengthen embankments and clear waterlogged areas. Citizens have been asked to avoid unnecessary travel, stay away from waterlogged streets and riverbanks and remain cautious about electric wires during rain.

The Deputy Commissioner has urged people to report any new cracks or water seepage immediately to officials. He also requested everyone to stay patient and cooperate with the authorities during this difficult time.