The Siddhmukh Branch canal near Kalirawan village breached on Saturday, flooding 50 hamlets in Hisar. Meanwhile, a breach in the Nigana feeder submerged 150 acres of crops in Bhiwani’s Biran village. Residents and irrigation teams started repair work. Former sarpanch Prabhu Kaswan said, "Timely intervention could have reduced the damage."
In Hisar, the Siddhmukh Branch canal near Kalirawan village breached in the afternoon, reportedly due to high water pressure, sending water into agricultural fields and low-lying residential areas. Around 50 dhanis (hamlets) were submerged, forcing residents to move people and livestock to safer places.
Villagers said the canal was carrying water at a level of around 13 feet in the morning, which had come down to nearly eight feet even after the breach.
Residents launched efforts to plug the breach with sandbags and tractor-trolleys. MGNREGA workers from Kalirawan and neighbouring villages were also mobilised to assist in the operation. Teams from the irrigation department, including the sub-divisional officer, reached the spot to oversee repair and relief work. Officials indicated that the water flow could be stopped completely by Saturday.
Former Kalirawan sarpanch Prabhu Kaswan, whose hamlet was among those inundated, alleged that timely intervention could have reduced the damage. He said the canal should have been closed at the main branch in Tohana and Kajal Head and heavy machinery should have been deployed without delay. Several other hamlets, including those of Amar Singh, Mahabir, Begraj, Mangeram and Ramphal, were also affected.
In a separate incident in Bhiwani district, a breach in the Nigana feeder flooded around 150 acres of agricultural land in Biran village. Both standing paddy crop and harvested produce lying in the fields were submerged.
According to the reports, more than 150 acres had been affected and people urged the district administration to arrange immediate drainage and provide adequate compensation to farmers.
Affected farmers said they tried to build temporary embankments to prevent water from entering their fields but failed to stop the flow. They demanded that the inflow from the feeder be stopped immediately, water drained from the affected fields and a special girdawari (inspection record) conducted to assess crop losses.
Farmers also expressed concern that prolonged waterlogging could delay the preparation of fields for the upcoming rabi sowing season, adding to their financial burden. The district authorities have assured the farmers that they were taking required steps to plug the breaches.