Project delays, poor services discussed at panel meet
Delays in development projects, poor infrastructure and lack of basic services were hot topics of discussion during the District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee (DISHA) meeting held on Wednesday at the local Panchayat Bhawan in Sirsa. The meeting was chaired by Sirsa MP Kumari Selja, who criticised local officials for not taking development work seriously and ignoring public concerns. She said many government schemes were not reaching the people properly and officials must be more accountable.
Tensions rose as several public representatives questioned the slow progress on key projects like the construction of railway overbridges near Chhatargarh Patti, Court Road, and Kanganpur Road. Selja also raised the issue of non-payment of salaries to staff at the MP Facilitation Centre and warned officers against such negligence.
She stressed the urgent need for a railway washing line near Sirsa station to allow long distance trains to operate from the area. A new rail line between Sirsa and Bhadra was also proposed to improve connectivity between north and south regions.
Public safety was another major concern. Overbridges and underpasses were suggested for accident-prone areas on National Highway 9, especially near villages such as Sahuwala, where seven deaths had been reported. Selja said proper signage, service lanes and lighting should be provided without delay.
Farmers’ issues were also highlighted, including confusion over crop insurance policies and lack of transparency from banks. Selja demanded that the farmers be given individual policies and fair compensation for losses. She also called for allowing irrigation from the Ghaggar river, as denying water access led to wastage.
The poor condition of rural roads, malfunctioning drainage systems and absence of road signage at the entry points of Sirsa and Fatehabad cities were also highlighted. Officials were urged to install safety walls near canal bridges and fix broken transformers in the fields without charging the farmers.
Concerns were raised about power supply issues, including unprotected electricity meters placed outside homes and delays in transformer repairs. Suggestions included billing the farmers every six months instead of monthly to align with harvest cycles, and compensating them for crop losses due to fire caused by loose power lines.
Participants also discussed the lack of facilities at government hospitals, particularly cancer treatment and shortage of doctors and paramedical staff. Many primary health centres were found to be functioning only as referral centres due to lack of staff and medicines.
The education sector also came under scrutiny. Delays in delivery of textbooks to government schools, exploitation of parents by private schools during admissions, and vacant teaching positions were key concerns. In addition, poor sanitation in urban and rural areas and mismanagement in waste collection and disposal were widely criticised. A high-level inquiry was demanded into alleged irregularities in garbage management systems.
Deputy Commissioner Shantanu Sharma, MLA Bharat Singh Beniwal and MLA Shishpal Keharwala were present at the meeting. However, Sirsa MLA Gokul Setia was absent.
