Selja blames Centre for flood-like situation in Haryana

Congress leader Kumar Selja on Sunday blamed the Central Government for the flood-like situation in Haryana, saying that the government was misguiding citizens in the name of development.

Speaking to mediapersons in Ambala, Selja said: “While the state is struggling with a flood-like situation, the government is misguiding the people in the name of development. The Central Government is responsible for the situation.”

Demanding immediate relief for the affected families, she said: “The government is patting its back on the opening of the e-kshatipurti portal, while there was a need to provide instant relief.”

She added: “The state government failed to make adequate arrangements to prevent waterlogging before the monsoon. In Ambala City, people have to pass through 2-ft water to go to the crematorium. Before the rains, neither the embankments of the canals were strengthened nor were the rivers, canals and drains cleaned.”

Selja spoke to affected persons near Nadi Mohalla, and claimed that the situation clearly showed how sensitive the government was towards the public.

Every year, due to the swelling of the Ghaggar, there were terrible floods in many districts, including Ambala, she added, stating that the government had all the data in this regard, yet no concrete work had been undertaken to stop the floods.

The Congress MP, who was accompanied by party leader Rohit Jain, said, due to continuous rain, standing paddy and fodder crop had been submerged.

Many houses had developed cracks, and the risk of diseases had increased due to contaminated water reaching the houses, she added, claiming that had the BJP government worked on cleaning of drains, strengthening of the drainage system, and rescue plans before the monsoon, then the terrible situation would not have arisen.

“This is completely the result of the government’s negligence and administrative failure,” she said. “On one hand, the government asks farmers to upload information on a portal to get compensation, but, on the other hand, the portal remains stalled due to a poor server, due to which the farmers are not able to upload the information about losses on time. Now, it is the responsibility of the government to give proper compensation to affected farmers on time, start relief and rescue work quickly in all the flood-affected villages, arrange for clean drinking water and medicines to overcome the problem of contaminated water, and provide rehabilitation and financial assistance to the families whose houses have been damaged.”

She said: “The government should work towards a permanent solution and a concrete plan to avoid such a situation in the future. The Congress stands with the farmers and the general public. It will keep raising its voice until every affected person gets relief and compensation.”