Upset over waterlogging, Hisar, Bhiwani villagers block key roads

Residents of two villages in Hisar and Bhiwani districts blocked roads to protest against waterlogging and demanded drainage of the accumulated water.

The residents of Arya Nagar village blocked the Hisar–Bhadra State Highway and raised slogans against the district administration, expressing anger over the lack of water disposal in their residential areas with the governemnt school, hospital and roads heavily flooded for nearly 10 days. The residents said as the district administration had not taken adequate steps to dispose of the water and showed no concern for the pathetic situation they were in. They said Arya Nagar village was part of the Nalwa Assembly segment in the district and was home of Haryana Public Work Department (PWD) and Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) Minister Ranbir Gangwa’s in-laws. He was also the MLA from Nalwa during the previous BJP government regime from 2019 to 2024, indicating a special connection with the village.

Moreover, the protesters alleged even the Adampur MLA Chander Prakash was also a native of the village. While, Randhir Panihar of BJP represented the Nalwa segment in the Assembly now. Despite being connected to three MLAs, the village was submerged in water for the past 10 days indicating inability of the district administration to take measures. “Roads, schools, power station, houses and fields remain under water. People do not even have a dry path to reach their homes, as the roads are flooded,” said one of the protesters.

The police reached the spot after the blockade as the long queue of vehicles caused chaos on the road which was flooded and only one side was being used by the motorists. The police official assured the protesters that they would take up the matter with the Irrigation Department officials and ensure more electric pumps were installed for speedy disposal of water after which the blockade was removed by the protesting villagers.

In Bhiwani district, the residents of Tigrana village also blocked the road in protest. They claimed that heavy waterlogging had already damaged their fields and now posed a threat to their homes. The villagers demanded immediate action from the district administration to drain the water and protect residential areas. “We have taken up the issue with the district authorities, who assured us that water is being drained out. But the steps taken so far are not satisfactory, and the process needs to be expedited,” said the villagers. They later lifted the roadblock after receiving assurances from the local administrative officials.