Rain havoc on Sirsa’s golden jubilee, city left waterlogged

Continuous rainfall since Sunday night has thrown life out of gear in Sirsa, leading to a flood-like situation in several areas. Major markets, roads and residential colonies have gone under water, with water levels rising up to two feet in front of shops, inconveniencing traders and pedestrians alike. Rural areas, too, were badly hit as the downpour continued till Monday evening.

Ironically, the crisis unfolded on the day Sirsa marked its 50th anniversary. The district was carved out of Hisar in 1975, but despite its long political lineage, residents say the city still struggles with poor infrastructure, absence of major industries, and inadequate civic facilities.

Over the decades, Sirsa has been the political base of stalwarts like former Deputy Prime Minister Chaudhary Devi Lal, Om Prakash Chautala, Lachhman Das Arora, Ajay Chautala, Abhay Chautala, Dushyant Chautala, Kumari Selja, Dr Ashok Tanwar, and Gopal Kanda. Yet, citizens claim that development remains far behind expectations.

This discontent was echoed in the aftermath of the rains. Locals alleged large-scale corruption in stormwater and drainage projects worth over Rs 80 crore. Amit Soni, a resident, said, “Due to the ongoing third phase of the stormwater project, more than half the city has been dug up, and roads haven’t been repaired. The people of Sirsa are suffering every day. Their lives have become hell due to government negligence and corruption.”

The heavy rain also caused structural damage, with several houses collapsing and residents sustaining injuries. A wall of Shri Gaushala caved in, while as a precautionary step, schools were closed. The district administration advised people to stay indoors and remain alert.

Low-lying areas like Suratgarhia Bazaar, Parshuram Chowk, Hisar Road, Anaj Mandi, Rania Road, and Dabwali Road remained submerged. Local MLA Gokul Setia visited affected markets and joined relief efforts.

Meanwhile, rising water levels in the Ghaggar river have stoked fears of flooding. By 4 pm Monday, the water discharge was 23,800 cusecs near Sardulgarh and 17,500 cusecs at Ottu downstream. The Irrigation Department has deployed 24 teams to monitor the river and its channels.

Deputy Commissioner Shantanu Sharma inspected embankments in villages including Mattar and Musahibwala. He ordered round-the-clock monitoring and asked all departments to coordinate relief work. Villagers themselves have started guarding embankments, fearing breaches.

In Risalia Khera and Pakka villages, house walls collapsed but major mishaps were avoided. However, a breach in Rajpura Minor led to waterlogging in nearly 100 acres of crops. Power supply across the district also took a hit as poles and lines were damaged; repairs are underway.