Residents of Chanot village in Hisar have been sitting on a dharna for 35 days over a water supply dispute that took a dramatic turn after the district administration declared a newly provided water connection illegal and lodged a police complaint against unidentified persons.
Water connection provided amid protest
On Sunday night, Somesh Kumar, former state president of the sarpanches association, arrived at the protest site claiming to be a representative of the state government. He informed the villagers that the government had approved fitting a T-joint on the Bhakra pipeline, which supplies water to Hansi town, to provide water to Chanot village. The T-joint was installed in the presence of protesters, and Somesh Kumar led the crowd in raising slogans in favor of Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini.
Administration terms connection illegal
However, on Monday morning, the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) termed the connection illegal. PHED Executive Engineer Sanjeev Tyagi filed a complaint with Hansi police, alleging that unidentified persons had tampered with the government pipeline. The police subsequently registered a criminal case.
Anup, a member of the protest committee, rejected the department's allegations, stating that the work was carried out with the knowledge and mediation of the state government and at the behest of Somesh Kumar. He said, "The connection was provided with the consent of the government, and now they are calling it illegal."
Police investigation underway
Sadanand, SHO of Sadar police station, confirmed that a case had been registered against unidentified persons based on the executive engineer's complaint and added that the matter is under investigation. Repeated attempts to contact Somesh Kumar for comment went unanswered.
The incident has intensified the ongoing protest, with villagers demanding a legal and permanent water supply from the Bhakra pipeline. The dispute highlights the challenges of water distribution in Haryana, where the Bhakra pipeline is a critical resource for both urban and rural areas.
