Despite official assurances of full preparedness for potential flooding from the Ghaggar River, two major canal breaches within just three days have cast serious doubt on the administration’s claims. The breaches have led to flooding of nearly 2,000 acres of farmland and caused one death.
Currently, the Ghaggar is carrying around 8,000 cusecs of water—well below its capacity of 20,000 cusecs—but even this moderate flow has caused embankments to collapse, raising alarm among local farmers and residents.
Canal Breaches Cause Widespread Damage
On Thursday, the SGC canal near Kuttabad village breached, flooding approximately 500 acres. Just a day later, the GBMS Kharif Channel breached between Dhottar and Kharia, submerging 1,500 acres of farmland and destroying a section of the adjacent road. Tragically, two men riding a motorcycle fell into the crater created by the collapsed road—one died, and the other was seriously injured.
Surface Cleaning, Weak Banks, and Unfinished Repairs
Farmers in the area, including Mahender Singh and Rajaram, said that the canal cleaning carried out under MGNREGA, which cost over ₹4.64 crore, was mostly superficial. Many of the embankments still contain animal burrows and dense vegetation, which weakens their structure. Locals accused the authorities of “wasting money like water” while ignoring on-ground conditions.
Photos shared at a DISHA committee meeting on July 3, attended by MPs and MLAs, supported these claims, showing canals still choked with weeds and debris. Local MP Kumari Selja criticized the irrigation department, saying she had warned them repeatedly about the need to strengthen embankments, especially in flood-prone Sirsa villages.
Officials Admit Gaps in Work
Sandeep Sharma, Executive Engineer, admitted that while MGNREGA funds were used for cleaning, some breaches occurred due to seepage near tree roots and structural weaknesses in the earthen embankments. He also pointed out that although hundreds of illegal pipes were removed in recent months, the soil wasn’t restored, further weakening the canal banks.
Farmers Take Charge as Trust Erodes
With little faith left in the administration, farmers are now patrolling the canal banks themselves, trying to spot weak spots before further damage occurs. In response, the irrigation department has formed monitoring teams and cancelled staff leave to manage the growing crisis.
The recent events have highlighted serious shortcomings in canal maintenance and disaster preparedness, raising urgent questions about how public funds are being used and whether preventive measures are truly being implemented on the ground.
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