Kisan Ekta body demands urgent repair of Hisar Ghaggar drain siphon, warns of protest

Bhartiya Kisan Ekta (BKE) state president Lakhwinder Singh Aulakh has accused irrigation officials of corruption and negligence over the broken siphon on the Hisar Ghaggar drain. Built last year after years of farmer protests, the siphon failed within days. Despite repeated requests, it remains unrepaired, affecting water supply to three canals Sheranwali Parallel, SGC and Kuttabadh.

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Aulakh said officials and the contractor gave conflicting explanations. While the contractor blamed unavailability of pipes, claiming new ones were arriving from Himachal, senior officials shifted responsibility on each other.

He alleged that the department delayed repairs to hide poor planning and corruption, especially during monsoon, when the drain was filled with water. He also raised concerns about repeated billing for repairs at the Ottu Head gates, which remained in poor condition.

Aulakh further claimed that a new tender worth crores, issued to reinstall concrete barriers at Ottu Head, was also mired in corruption involving local and Chandigarh-based officials.

The BKE has demanded a high-level investigation into the matter. Aulakh warned that if repairs were not completed within a week, the farmers would launch a protest. The BKE general secretary Angrej Singh Kotli and other members were also present during the announcement.