Day later, canal breach in Karnal village plugged

Karnal, May 18

More than 38 hours after the breach in an augmentation canal in Ramwar village, normalcy is yet to be restored. Residential areas and fields are still submerged in water and pumps have been installed to drain out water from residential areas.

Damaged home appliances and furniture outside houses are proof of the havoc caused by the breach. People are worried about the losses they have incurred and the health hazard posed by stagnant water. Their houses are badly damaged, some beyond repairs.

“I have lost everything in the augmentation canal breach. When I woke up on Sunday morning, my home appliances were floating in water. A day later, I have collected the appliances, which have been damaged,” said Shakuntala, a housewife.

Rajpal, a 75-year-old resident, said people had to spend the night on their rooftops and some of them moved to the houses of others for temporary shelter.

Gharaunda MLA Harvinder Kalyan and Deputy Commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav, along with other officials, remained in the village till around Sunday midnight and reviewed the situation.

Officials of the Irrigation Department and residents had to struggle to plug the breach. The canal was repaired by Monday evening.

Kalyan assured residents that the damage was being assessed by the district authorities and compensation would be given by the government. He visited houses and took stock of the losses.

Yadav said 10 families were evacuated and shifted to safer places. He said pumps were installed to drain out the water. He said a health team and a veterinary surgeon were deputed for 24-hour healthcare. — TNS