Sirsa: Light showers expose poor planning as stormwater project adds to woes

Light rain began early Thursday morning in Sirsa, bringing much-needed relief from the heat, but also causing major problems for area residents.

Power outages were reported in many parts of the city. With no electricity, and inverters failing, people faced great discomfort in the humid climate. The rain led to severe waterlogging in many areas. Areas such as Janata Bhawan Road, Railway Gate Road, and the area near Jat Dharamshala were the worst affected by the light rain. Some city colonies also reported water accumulation of up to one foot, disrupting daily life and traffic.

An ongoing stormwater project, which has become a major issue for the public, only added to the problem.

Launched in two phases to solve the city’s waterlogging problem, the project is now creating more difficulties.

In its current phase, the project was started during the monsoon, which residents say shows poor planning.

Due to dug-up roads and open pits, even light rain is turning soil into mud, causing slippery stretches and traffic hazards. Devender Sethi, an area resident, said, in some areas, proper groundwork (bedding) was not done beneath the drainage pipes, causing roads to sink.

Heavy vehicles were getting stuck in these sunken patches, he added.

HTET conducted peacefully in Sirsa

The Haryana Teacher Eligibility Test (HTET) was conducted peacefully amid strict security procedures on its second day in Sirsa on Thursday, even as candidates battled rain and traffic jams. The morning session saw Level-2 (Trained Graduate Teacher) tests conducted across 40 centres, while Level-1 (Primary Teacher) exams were held at 15 centres in the afternoon.

The rain, which fell intermittently throughout the day, caused waterlogging in parts of the city and slowed down traffic. Traffic police struggled to manage congestion, with vehicles crawling through narrow lanes near exam venues.

In total, 11,703 candidates registered for the TGT exam, of which 10,254 appeared. The afternoon primary-level test saw 3,760 of 4,505 candidates attend. Combined with the first day’s Level-3 (Post Graduate Teacher) exam, a total of 19,578 candidates — or roughly 88 of those who registered — appeared for the HTET in Sirsa over two days.

Exam centres enforced strict frisking. Candidates had to present Aadhaar Cards and other valid IDs, and women were asked to remove jewellery such as bangles, earrings, nose pins. Many were seen handing over ornaments to their relatives waiting outside the centres.

Biometric attendance was recorded without glitches, and authorities said no major irregularities were reported.

Flying squads, led by SDM Rajender Singh and other senior officials, visited centres throughout the day. Section 163 remained in force within a 500-m radius of each venue, banning mobile phones and electronic devices. Photocopy shops and coaching centres nearby were ordered shut to prevent cheating.

Outside centres, emotional scenes played out. A child cried while trying to follow his mother into a centre, only to be stopped by guards. In another case, a young woman handed her five-month-old baby to her father-in-law before rushing inside. Some candidates ran into trouble over missing photocopies of admit cards.