Sirsa farmers clash with police over removal of illegal pipes

A clash broke out between farmers and the police during a drive by the irrigation department to remove illegal water pipes at the Ghaggar Bani Sahdeva Mammarkhera (GBSM) Link Channel on Thursday.

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The clash took place when farmers tried to stop the operation by sitting in front of an earth-moving machine. The police responded by pushing them back and detaining several of them, including farmer leader Harjinder Singh Jinda. He was released after two hours. Tensions rose further when angry farmers deflated the tyres of a government tractor-trailer parked nearby. The situation remained tense throughout the day as more police were deployed.

According to the department, the operation aimed to restore fair water distribution by dismantling unauthorised pipe connections diverting the canal water. The pipes were blocking the flow to downstream areas, especially tail-end villages, it said.

Farmers from nearby villages, including Dhani Bhangi, Dhotar, and Jhorarnali, gathered quickly upon hearing about the removal of pipes and demanded two days and a meeting to resolve the issue. Despite negotiations with Executive Engineer (XEN) Sandeep Sharma, the work continued and the farmers accused the department of ignoring their earlier request to clean and deepen the canals rather than remove pipes.

The protesting farmers claimed that the pipes were installed by taking loans and were essential for bringing water to distant fields. “The administration is dividing communities instead of offering solutions,” said a farmer, Dharmchand. Others like Ram Singh and Sunil Kabira claimed that the removal of pipes would deprive farmers in remote areas of irrigation access.

During the scuffle, some farmers accused a police officer of using abusive language, further aggravating the situation.

By late afternoon, officials had removed 15 pipes. Officers from Sadar Sirsa, Baragudha, and Rania police stations were present to manage the situation.

The XEN said they were carrying out official orders. “Our goal is to ensure equal water distribution to all tail-end villages. Illegal pipes obstruct this process,” he said, adding that action would continue in the coming days.