Sirsa villagers struggle for water supply as govt delays canal project
In Sirsa district, 20 villages are facing a severe water crisis. The construction of a canal that was promised to them years ago has still not begun, leaving farmers and villagers without irrigation water and clean drinking water. The issue was raised in the Haryana Assembly by local MLA Gokul Setia, who highlighted that despite promises made by the former Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, nothing was done to address the problem.
Seven years ago, Khattar announced the construction of a canal to bring water to the villages of Mangala, Jamal, and others, but so far, only about Rs 2 lakh has been spent on the project, which remains incomplete. The canal was supposed to supply water for irrigation, but the villagers have been left without a solution. Groundwater levels have dropped drastically, and the water that remains is salty and undrinkable. This has left the farmers without enough water to irrigate their crops, leading to crop damage and financial loss.
Setia explained that at the time of the announcement, land prices in the area were between Rs 12 lakh and Rs 15 lakh per acre, but now they had skyrocketed to Rs 40 lakh to Rs 50 lakh per acre. Even so, the villagers are willing to sell their land at market prices to the government for the canal project. However, the government has failed to take any steps toward acquiring land or completing the canal.
The situation has worsened, and many villages, including Shahidanwali, Natar, Salarpur and others are facing severe drinking water shortages. In some areas, the villagers have been forced to bring water tankers from distant canals just to meet their basic needs. Despite protests and the formation of a struggle committee, the government has not responded to the villagers' concerns.
The frustration of the farmers is also evident as the Haryana Kisan Manch organised a protest demanding a steady supply of water for irrigation on Wednesday. Gurdeep Singh Jhiri, state president of Haryana Kisan Manch, said the farmers were upset that the Irrigation Department had reduced water supply, affecting their crops. If the situation do not improve, the farmers have threatened to continue their protest indefinitely starting from April 28.
The villagers and farmers are hopeful that the government will finally take action to solve the water crisis, but for now, their struggles continue.
