Chandigarh, Sept. 13 — Former Patiala MP and BJP leader Preneet Kaur on Saturday led a delegation of flood-affected farmers from Punjab to Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, urging him to resolve the recurring flood problem caused by the Hansi–Butana canal embankment.
Meeting at the CM’s residence in Chandigarh, the delegation — representing the Flood Victims Struggle Committee — said villages in Punjab face devastation year after year because the canal blocks the natural flow of the Ghaggar river.
“Until the technical flaw in the Hansi–Butana canal is addressed, this problem will not end,” one of the representatives told Saini.
Kaur said her intervention was aimed at ensuring a lasting solution to a problem that has hit farmers in both Punjab and Haryana. “This discussion was to secure a permanent remedy to the suffering of people in both states who face repeated flood losses,” she noted.
The farmers explained that water from the Shivalik foothills in Himachal Pradesh — including Morni Hills, Panchkula, Sukhna Lake, Markanda and Tangri rivers — converges into the Ghaggar. At the Hansi–Butana canal, the river is forced through narrow siphons that restrict the flow, causing backwater flooding across villages in Punjab.
Recent unseasonal rains, they added, had worsened the damage, leaving many families homeless.
Solutions proposed
The delegation suggested two possible remedies:
- Divert the Ghaggar beneath the canal to preserve its natural course.
- Build a wider siphon, about two kilometers long, to allow smoother flow.
Saini assured the delegation that the matter was under active review. “We are taking this problem seriously, and all possible steps will be taken to ensure a lasting solution,” he said.
The chief minister said he had asked departments for a detailed technical report and planned to convene meetings shortly. “Next month I will visit the Hansi–Butana head myself and meet flood-hit families from both Punjab and Haryana to take their views,” he added. “We will work to make sure such a situation does not arise again.”
Participants said the meeting was cordial and gave them confidence, though several village leaders warned that if the issue lingers, they would be forced to launch a broader agitation.
The delegation included Surinder Singh Kherki, BJP in-charge of the Mana constituency; Satinder Singh Bittu Dhanouri; Ramesh Goel Dakala; Kashmir Singh; former sarpanch Harcharan Singh Dhidasa; Harbhajan Singh Chattha; Pal Singh Nambardar; Nishan Singh Cheema; Sukhdev Singh; Aman Gill; Jagmail Singh; Parminder Singh, and others.
