Overflowing rivers, dry canals put Sirsa growers in a bind

Farmers in several villages of Sirsa district are caught between floods and drought due to a combination of overflowing rivers and dry irrigation canals. Many blame the Irrigation Department for poor planning and negligence, while the department insists that all actions are part of a larger plan to prevent future damage and ensure fair water distribution.

The issue began with repair work at the Ottu Head, a key irrigation point in the area. To carry out the work, a temporary dam was built in the Ghaggar river near Dhanoor village to stop water from reaching the site. However, on Wednesday morning, the Ghaggar overflowed near the dam, flooding about 150 acres of farmland in Dhanoor and nearby Jhorarnali village. Vegetables such as tomatoes, onions, cucumbers and paddy seedlings were destroyed.

At the same time, water has not been released into two key irrigation channels Sahdeva kharif and Mammad kharif leaving fields in nearly a dozen villages completely dry. The farmers in Mahna Khera, Bhuna, Gindran, Ghoranwali, Sadewala, Mattuwala, Chakkan, Khai Shergarh, Risalia Khera, and Banwala say thousands of acres are lying uncultivated due to lack of irrigation.

Ashok Kumar, a farmer from Dhanoor, said he rented 4 acres to grow fodder and paddy. “I spent thousands preparing the land, but everything was destroyed when my field got flooded. The department should have stored the water in Ottu Lake to avoid this,” he said.

Balbir Singh, another farmer from Dhanoor, said he rented land at Rs 80,000 per acre to grow vegetables to support his sick wife. “Now everything is gone. My family is in debt,” he said.

Many farmers have staged protests and demanded compensation, as well as the immediate release of water to the dry canals. Others highlighted the worsening drinking water situation in the region. “There’s no clean water in the fields or for our homes. We’re drinking salty water and falling sick,” said Radheshyam from Chakkan.

In response, Executive Engineer (XEN) Sandeep from the Irrigation Department said the allegations were baseless. He stated that the repair work was necessary and conducted as per official rules. “The temporary dam work is complete, and the water which had overflown was channeled back to the river. Our aim is to protect the area from monsoon floods,” he said.

He added that some farmers might be upset over the department’s recent crackdown on illegal water connections. “But this has helped restore water supply to villages such as Nuhianwali, which hadn’t received water for two years due to illegal pipes,” he said.

Sandeep assured the farmers that the department was committed to fair water distribution and was taking steps to ensure that every village received its share, especially ahead of the monsoon season.