MP flags slow progress, poor services at Fatehabad development review meeting
A District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee (DISHA) meeting in Fatehabad on Wednesday turned into a sharp review of civic, infrastructure, and administrative shortcomings across the district.
Chaired by Sirsa MP Kumari Selja, the meeting witnessed the participation of Deputy Commissioner Mandeep Kaur, Rajya Sabha MP Subhash Barala, Fatehabad MLA Balwant Singh Daulatpuria, Ratia MLA S Jarnail Singh, Tohana MLA Paramveer Singh, and other senior officials.
Selja urged officials to expedite the implementation of government schemes, and infrastructure projects, without compromising on quality or transparency. She said records of all work should be maintained properly and delays should be addressed promptly.
Her comments reflected growing frustration with the state of public infrastructure in the district. She claimed that the Rs 60 crore spent on 41-km drainage system along National Highway 9 had gone to waste, with most drains either broken or ineffective.
She highlighted accident-prone zones, especially near Sahuwala village between Sirsa and Odhan, calling for urgent safety measures.
On rail connectivity, Selja questioned the delay in the promised Hisar-Agroha-Fatehabad-Sirsa railway line and sought updates on the renovation of Jakhal railway station, which lacks basic amenities such as an ATM, disabled-friendly facilities, and a functioning reservation counter.
She also called for an investigation into the “substandard work” at the Tohana bus stand, and raised concerns about ongoing power failures due to faulty infrastructure in the region. Civic issues dominated much of the discussion.
Selja criticised poor sanitation under the Swachh Bharat Mission, citing locations in Fatehabad city where garbage remained uncollected for days.
She also talked about the dilapidated condition of public toilets at the Mini-Secretariat, and the state of neglect at the Civil Hospital, stating that half the staff positions were vacant at the hospital and sanitation was poor.
The MP also flagged the slow progress on the 200-bed hospital being constructed near the new Hisar Road sector and expressed concern over alleged irregularities in the construction of a city divider.
She called for a thorough inquiry into possible corruption and questioned the reuse of old, accident-prone grills.
Selja pushed for the revival of the city’s only park, which she said had been ignored for a decade, and demanded action against illegal encroachments on green belts.
She also advocated for relocating a recently shifted government library back to the city centre to make it accessible to students.
Selja raised concerns about the sharp rise in arms licenses being issued in the district, calling for a probe into how many had been approved in the past year.
Haryana Tribune