Sewage problem at Sirsa’s grain market may soon be a thing of past

Relief may finally be on the way for farmers and commission agents working in the Sirsa grain market, where sewage overflow has been a long-pending issue. The Sirsa Marketing Board has prepared a proposal worth Rs 1.44 crore to improve the sewage system in the mandi and sent it to the headquarters for approval. Work will begin only after the proposal is cleared.

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As per the plan, old and narrow sewer lines in affected lanes will be replaced, and the main sewer line will be thoroughly cleaned to prevent blockage and overflow, especially during the rainy season.

Every year, particularly during monsoons, the Sirsa grain market faces severe waterlogging. Roads are often flooded with dirty sewer water, making it hard for the people to move around. At Kabir Chowk, water levels during rain can rise up to two feet, completely blocking the road and causing serious trouble for traders and pedestrians.

The root cause is the decades old sewage system, which was laid when the market had a much smaller population. Now, with increased footfall and activity, these outdated pipelines are unable to manage the sewage load. Minor rainfall is enough to cause major blockages and accumulation of stagnant water in areas like the cotton mandi and additional mandi.

Sandeep Kumar, Junior Engineer from the Sirsa Marketing Board, confirmed that a proposal was sent to the headquarters. “Once we receive approval, the work will begin immediately. For now, the plan focuses only on sewage line replacement and cleaning,” he said.

Prem Bajaj, president, Sirsa Arhtiya Association, said, “The situation in mandi during monsoon becomes unbearable. We have written to the authorities many times, but nothing permanent has happened so far. Even after the Chief Minister’s announcement, there has been no progress in this connection.”

Bajaj also raised concerns over drinking water. He explained that due to old pipelines, sewage often got mixed with drinking water, making it unsafe for use. Borewell water was also no longer fit for drinking, he said, while adding that requests for water supply from the waterworks had gone unanswered.