Currently, North India is grappling with a widespread flood crisis, with Punjab being significantly affected recently. If India is blamed for Pakistan's floods, we should reflect on the reasons behind Punjab's floods in India. Punjab's rivers—Sutlej, Beas, Ravi, and Ghaggar—are overflowing, surpassing danger levels, causing chaos across the state.
This situation has impacted over 1,000 villages across Punjab, severely deteriorating conditions. Disaster management teams are tirelessly working, relocating affected people to safer places.
Following his return from the SCO meeting in China, Prime Minister Narendra Modi immediately contacted Punjab's Chief Minister, Bhagwant Mann, to discuss the flood situation.
Rivers in Full Spate
Twelve out of the 23 districts in Punjab are badly hit by the floods. Reports indicate that 30 people have lost their lives, affecting 1.5 million people and relocating around 300,000 to safer locations. Agriculture, with an extensive impact on approximately 300,000 acres, faced significant setbacks, ruining rice, cotton, and maize crops.
Record Rainfall Levels
The Meteorological Department has issued a red alert for heavy rainfall in Punjab, indicating low prospects for quick relief from the flood situation.
During his observation of flood-affected areas on Tuesday, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann addressed the situation by emphasizing nature’s unpredictability. However, does this mean abandoning the people of Punjab to fend for themselves against the floods?
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Source: aajtak
Punjab has been hit by floods for the third time in six years, having been affected in 2023 and 2019 as well. In the 2023 floods, over 1,500 villages in Punjab were impacted, with crops on approximately 221,000 hectares being destroyed. Similarly, in the 2019 flood, more than 300 villages were affected, with thousands of hectares of crops devastated.
Weak Infrastructure of the Past
Will the state government continue to leave its people vulnerable annually? Measures to prevent such scenarios should be in place before the monsoon—like restoring embankments of rivers and canals, clearing silt, and upgrading drainage in towns and cities. Unfortunately, this wasn't executed in Punjab, leading to an aggravated situation this year.
Lack of Flood Preparedness
Every February, a meeting is held in Punjab to discuss flood preparedness. However, this year, it took place not in February, but in June, due to the Aam Aadmi Party's focus on the Delhi elections and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's attention on securing his party's victory.
Also Read: Disaster in Hilly States, Worst Floods in Punjab in 4 Decades! Millions Trapped
Management of Bhakra-Nangal Dam
By May, Punjab's government was entangled in a debate over distributing water from the Bhakra-Nangal Dam to Haryana and Rajasthan and the quantities involved. Delays in action on this matter meant missing critical flood preparation windows. When monsoon waters surged, releasing water from Ranjit Sagar, Pong, and Bhakra-Nangal Dams became necessary. The water level at these dams reached dangerous heights, believed to be a cause of the flooding in Punjab.
