Hisar villages flag substandard pipes to drain out water

Even as several villages of Hisar continue to suffer flood-like situation even after nearly two weeks of heavy rain, Divisional Commissioner Ashok Kumar Garg has flagged irregularities in measures for draining out water from at least two villages of the district — Singhwa Ragho and Ghiray.

Garg, who visited several villages, received complaints from the panchayats of Singwa Ragho and Ghiray that poor quality of pipes used by the Irrigation Department had failed to drain out water from the fields.

In a written complaint, the sarpanch of Singhwa Ragho said the department had undertaken work to drain out rainwater from the villages by installing three pump houses and laying nearly 8 km of pipeline at a cost of around Rs 9.5 crore. However, the pipes were of very poor quality. As a result, whenever motor pumps were started, the pipes burst immediately.

The Divisional Commissioner, in a letter to the Additional Chief Secretary, Irrigation Department, Chandigarh, said despite spending Rs 9.5 crore, the floodwater could not be drained properly.

The Ghiray panchayat also raised the same issue with the Commissioner.