Water dispute escalates in Sirsa villages over pipeline removal
A water dispute has erupted in Sirsa district as the administration continues its action against illegal pipelines and water connections in the seasonal Kharif channels built to distribute Ghaggar river’s rainwater. These channels Sahdeva, Mammar and Rattakhera were constructed to provide irrigation to farmers, especially those in tail-end villages. However, for the last two weeks, the authorities have been removing unauthorised pipelines, motors and solar connections, claiming they are preventing water from reaching the end of the channels.
On Tuesday, a meeting was held at the Panchayat Bhawan under the supervision of District Council CEO Subhash Chandra and Irrigation Department’s Executive Engineer Sandeep Sharma. The farmers from both sides — starting villages and tail-end villages— attended the four-hour closed door discussion. After listening to both sides, the officials decided to form a committee that would identify and remove illegal pipelines and water connections.
The issue started when the farmers from the tail-end villages complained that they were not getting any rainwater due to illegal setups by the farmers in the upstream villages. In response, the Irrigation Department began removing pipelines using earthmoving machines. This triggered protests from the affected farmers, who appealed to Deputy Commissioner Shantanu Sharma to stop the action. They claimed the administration was acting unfairly and disturbing the harmony among the farming communities. These farmers have also stated their intention to meet Rania MLA Arjun Chautala if required.
The farmers from Jhorarnali, Dhani Bangi, Dhottar, and Kharia argued that water was reaching the tail-end villages and even showed videos to the officials. They proposed that the administration assign specific days for them to use the pipeline, and they would follow the rules. They also stressed that they were ready for peaceful dialogue and wanted water to reach all villages. The farmers denied using canal water for borewell recharge and offered to give affidavits. They suggested imposing a fine of Rs 1 lakh and disconnection of tubewells for anyone found guilty. They demanded a fair water sharing system for two days for starting villages and the rest for the tail-end areas. These farmers also highlighted that many of them had spent between Rs 15 lakh and Rs 50 lakh on pipeline systems. They were frustrated that while the government once promoted solar systems, it is now questioning its use.
The tail-end village farmers from Chakka Bhuna, Kharia, Sadewala, and Ghoranwali said they had not received water for three years. They blamed the upstream blockages and requested the administration to either clean or dig the kharif channels. They also mentioned that land in Dhottar was acquired for the channel but was not handed over. While they expressed that they didn’t want to harm other farmers, they insisted that the government must ensure water reached the tail-end fields. They also recalled that the Chief Engineer of the Irrigation Department had previously supported resizing canal outlets in starting villages to allow better flow.
The administration claims that due to electric and solar-powered pipelines, the farmers were drawing water up to 20 hours a day, eight hours on electricity and 12 on solar leaving no water for tail-end areas. The officials maintained that this was the main reason for the current shortage.
Meanwhile, some farmers who invested Rs 70 lakh to carry water to 70 ft high areas said they achieved what the government couldn’t. They believed these efforts should be respected, not punished, and had asked for recognition from the Deputy Commissioner and the state government. The situation remains tense as both sides wait for a fair and peaceful resolution from the authorities.
Haryana Tribune