Former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Tuesday demanded that the state government provide compensation of ₹50,000 per acre to farmers whose fields have been submerged due to heavy rainfall and waterlogging across several districts, including Bhiwani, Rohtak, Hisar, Jind, Kurukshetra and Ambala.
Speaking at a press conference in Rohtak, Hooda accused the BJP-led government of failing to take timely measures for rainwater drainage, leading to widespread crop damage.
“Farmers are suffering immense losses. The current crop has been ruined, and prospects for the upcoming season look bleak,” he said.
He further criticised the administration for poor urban and rural sanitation. “Neither sewerage systems in cities nor drains in villages were cleaned before the rains. As a result, waterlogging is rampant, and heaps of garbage lie everywhere, posing a serious risk of water-borne diseases,” Hooda added.
The senior Congress leader also targeted the government for steep hikes in land collector rates. “The BJP has raised the collector rates by 10% to 145%. This follows a similar hike last December when rates were increased by up to 250% in some areas,” he said.
Hooda expressed concern over the exodus of industries from Haryana, blaming it on the government’s policies and the deteriorating law and order situation. “Over 90 rice mills have shifted to Madhya Pradesh in the past three years. The plywood and utensils industry in Yamunanagar and the textile industry in Panipat are also on the brink of closure,” he said, calling it a major blow to the state’s agrarian economy.
He added, “Rising crime has made the state unsafe. Haryana, once a leader in development, is now leading in crime.”
Hooda also mourned the death of former governor Satyapal Malik, remembering him as a bold and outspoken leader he had known since student politics.
