Markanda in spate, admn on toes in Kurukshetra

The Markanda river continues to flow at full spate in the Shahabad and Jhansa areas of Kurukshetra, causing panic among residents of villages along the river on Tuesday.

A discharge of 29,778 cusecs was recorded in Shahabad in the evening. While the danger mark of the river is 256 metre, it was flowing at 256.10 metre and the water level was expected to increase further.

As per the district administration in view of the continuous rise in water levels of the Markanda river, a flood-like situation has arisen in parts of the district, especially in Shahabad and Pehowa subdivisions.

All government and private schools, colleges, and anganwadi centres in the Shahabad and Pehowa subdivisions have been closed till further orders. As per the information nearly 18 villages of Shahabad and Pehowa have been affected due to waterlogging. Meanwhile, taking precautionary measures, an old bridge over Markanda river in Jhansa has been closed by the administration.

Irrigation Department XEN Muneesh Kumar said, “All bundhs are intact and all efforts are being made to ensure a smooth flow of water. The embankments are being further strengthened and teams are visiting the critical locations continuously.”

Deputy Commissioner Vishram Kumar Meena along with the officials of departments concerned visited the affected villages, including Kathwa, Kalsana and Patti Jhambra.

After seeing the situation of waterlogging at Patti Jhambra, nearly 100 people were shifted to nearby temples and Dharmashala. The DC said the directions for their stay and food have been issued. People are being appealed to shift to safer places in view of waterlogging. Later the officials reached Kalsana and Kathwa village, where the residents raised the issue of shortage of green fodder for animals. The DC directed the officials of the Animal Husbandry Department to ensure adequate stock of green fodder and medicines for the affected villages.

The DC said a close watch was being kept on the situation and the district administration was ready to provide all assistance to the people of affected villages. People are being shifted to safer places and complaints related to waterlogging are being resolved. The Shahabad Market Committee has provided vegetables to the residents of Kathwa village and directions have been issued to the officials to ensure that the citizens don’t face inconvenience.

Meanwhile, the Congress and BJP leaders also visited the affected areas on Tuesday.

Congress Shahabad MLA Ramkaran Kala said, “The farmers of the villages along the Markanda river in Shahabad suffer losses due to continuous flow of water. I have been raising the issue in the Haryana Assembly but no action has been taken so far. Due to the continuous flow of water, the connectivity of the village gets affected.”

Congress district chief Mewa Singh said, “The government should find a permanent solution and announced a compensation of Rs 50,000 per acre for the losses as the farmers have no other source of income. If the compensation is not given, the Congress will launch a protest in support of the affected farmers.”

BJP district chief Tejender Singh Goldy visited Kathwa and Tangore villages and said that the state government was making all efforts to provide help to the residents of these villages. He said the water had entered the agricultural fields and connectivity of roads have been affected due to which the residents had been facing inconvenience. Directions have been issued to the mandal presidents to stay on alert and inform the district office in case of any requirement in the affected areas.

Similarly in Ambala, the district administration has been keeping a watch on Markanda, Ghaggar and Tangri rivers.

Ambala Deputy Commissioner Ajay Singh Tomer said, “A close watch is being kept on the rivers and so far the situation is under control. Nearly 20 villages have been affected by Begna, Markanda and Roon rivers where water is flowing through the agricultural fields at various locations. Once the water is drained out the losses will be assessed and the farmers will be able to raise their claims on the e-kshatipurti portal.”