Rain leaves several areas of Kurukshetra waterlogged

A good spell of rain left several roads and low-lying areas in Kurukshetra waterlogged on Tuesday.

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Waterlogging was witnessed on Jhansa Road, Sectors 3, 5, 7, 13, and 17, Ambedkar Chowk, near Panorama and Science Centre, Railway Road and LNJP District Civil Hospital.

Residents were seen facing inconvenience while crossing the roads due to waterlogging. The downpour disturbed daily life and vehicles of several people also broke down on the roads, further adding to the woes.

Naresh Sharma, whose car broke down near Devi Lal Chowk, said, “This is the same story every year. Tall claims are made before the rain but the situation at the ground level remains the same. The mechanic is checking the vehicle and it will cost me thousands of rupees.”

Rajinder Kumar, another resident, said, “The local administration, municipal council and government made tall claims about the drainage but the claims fell flat after the first rain. The drains are lying choked due to garbage and polythene. Kurukshetra is being promoted as a major tourist destination but poor drainage tells a different story. The government should first focus on drainage of the city and ensure that water is drained out timely.”

Officials from the Thanesar Municipal Council reached the affected areas and pumps were installed to drain out the water. Similarly, waterlogging was reported in several pockets of the Shahabad area, including Railway Road, where water had entered the shops and several houses.

District Municipal Commissioner Satinder Siwach said, “Tenders were allotted for the cleaning of drains. After the rain, there were reports of waterlogging in several areas following which teams of the municipal council, including officials from the engineering branch and sanitation branch, reached the spot and pumps were installed to drain out the water. All efforts are being made to ensure that the residents don’t face inconvenience during the rainy season.”

“It has been observed that a huge quantity of polythene and other garbage dumped in the drains were the prime reason behind the blockade. We request the residents not to dump any plastic material and polythene in the drains and along the roads as ultimately they become the cause of waterlogging,” he added.

Meanwhile, the rain will be beneficial for paddy growers in the district. As per the Agriculture Department official, the rain is beneficial for the paddy crop. It will help the farmers in keeping the field moist and the demand for power consumption will decrease and expenses on diesel to run generators will also decrease.

As per the information, a maximum of 116 mm rain was reported in Shahabad, followed by 105 in Babain, 92 in Thanesar, 17 mm in Ladwa and 13 mm in Ismailabad.

The Deputy Director, Agriculture, Dr Karam Chand, said, “About 1.14 lakh hectare land will be under paddy crop and the rain has come as a respite for the farmers. It will save one to two irrigations for the farmers who have already transplanted paddy, while for those who are still waiting, the field is ready for transplantation. It will be beneficial for the farmers who have adopted direct seeded rice (DSR) technique too.”