Panjab Flood Toll: 51 Lives Lost, 387K People Displaced & 528K Acres Crops Destroyed

As of 8 Sep, 51 lives are lost, some people are missing; 2,050 villages are affected; 23,015 people have been evacuated; 387,898 people have been displaced. 123 relief camps are sheltering 5,416 individuals; 200K people are impacted; 85% of the flood-hit population in 7 districts. 528K acres of crops in 18 districts, about 30% of the entire farmland in Panjab  is destroyed; and 5 lakh trees uprooted. Rivers Satluj and Ghaggar's waters are still breaking embankments and flooding fields, though the water levels have reduced. The Panjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann was admitted to Fortis hospital on 5 Sep after he complained of exhaustion. He conducted a Cabinet meeting from hospital and approved USD 4,535 for deaths due to floods and USD 226 per acre for affected farmers. A major demand was that farmers whose fields are inundated be permitted to sell sand from their fields. The cabinet has given permission but has yet to notify the order. The cabinet gave farmers a six-month exemption from loan repayment and payment of interest. It said that dairy farmers and other animal owners shall be compensated after registering their loss. There is no word on farmers who have lost land to floods. There have been many such instances along the three main rivers of Panjab. No word on laborers who have lost homes and work. Given the sand on fields, farmers won't be able to clear fields to sow wheat in the next month. They have rejected the package and are demanding USD 1,133 per acre for two seasons of paddy and wheat. Panjab has declared all schools open. On 1 Sep, the Central Industrial Security Force took over the security of Bhakra and Nangal dams. In May, the Nangal Dam was in focus when the Aam Aadmi Party workers, led by Mann, sat in protest and did not allow the Bhakra Beas Management Board to release extra water to Haryana and had posted the Panjab police on Nangal dam. The Panjab police will now be given lesser important tasks and Panjab will have no say on the dams (earlier coverage).

On 9 Sep, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Panjab and offered a relief package of USD 181M when the preliminary damages are estimated at USD 2.27B. Earlier on 5 Sep, Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Panjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann did a mock photo shoot of sitting on a road and eating. Meanwhile, in a twist in the long-standing water dispute between Haryana and Panjab, the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Nayab Singh Saini-led Haryana government has urged the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) and the Panjab government to slash 2.5K cusecs of its canal water supply, citing Haryana’s reduced demand due to incessant rains. The Panjab government has objected to Haryana opening sluice gates of the Satluj-Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal at the Jansui headworks in Ambala district after farmers complained it led to flooding in the Tangri rivulet. On 29 Aug, BJP’s Union Minister of State Ravneet Singh Bittu said had Mann not adopted confrontational politics in April and denied water to Haryana, the Bhakra Dam water level would have reduced. While this is borne out to some extent by data, it does not absolve BBMB from not releasing more water from Jun to mid Aug. On 4 Sep, Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan visited flood-hit areas in Panjab and blamed illegal mining for the floods. Panjab Cabinet Minister and AAP state chief Aman Arora slammed Chouhan for blaming illegal mining and alleged BJP leaders visit flood-hit areas for photo-ops which is true for others too. On 3 Sep, Indian National Congress’ former Panjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi joined efforts to strengthen embankments. However, on 7 Sep, when Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee incharge Bhupesh Baghel visited the Harike barrage with INC state chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, they blocked the road on top of the barrage. On both sides a huge number of vehicles bringing in relief to the flood hit were stranded for hours. Given how the union government has treated Panjab floods until now, the need is that Members of Parliament of all parties join hands and place their demands to the union government (earlier coverage).

The holding capacity of the Bhakra Dam, built upstream on the Satluj, has reduced by about 25% since its inception in 1963. The primary reason is the dam’s reservoir has never been desilted for 62  years. Spread over 88 sq km across Bilaspur and Una districts of Himachal Pradesh, the lake’s original storage capacity was 7.4 BCM, which has been reduced to around 6 BCM. The reservoir was originally expected to receive 33 MCM of silt annually, but the actual inflow has been 39 MCM. Senior journalist Jasbir Singh says, silt in river Satluj has reduced its water carrying capacity from 300K cusecs to 80K cusecs, to less than one-third. Earlier this year, a committee of the Public Works Department had carried out a drone survey and identified 346 spots on national highways, state highways and Mandi (Grain Market) Board Roads in Panjab where the drainage flow was obstructed. The Public Action Committee (PAC) shared water inflow-outflow data from the three dams. Between 1-21 Aug, at the Bhakra dam on the river Satluj river, the per day average inflow was 57.4K cusecs, against an average outflow was 27.1K cusecs. From 25 Aug-4 Sep the average inflow surged to 73.4K cusecs. The average outflow nearly doubled to 53K cusec, peaking at 73K cusecs on 4 Sep. Between 1-24 Aug, at Pong Dam on the river Beas the average per day inflow was 77K cusec, against an outflow of 42.5K cusecs. From 25 Aug-4 Sep, the average inflow surged to 121.6K cusecs. The average outflow rose to 87.5K cusecs, peaking at 109K cusecs on 1 Sep. These dams are under Bhakra Beas Management Board controlled by the Indian Union Power Ministry. Even Ranjit Sagar Dam, which is directly under the Panjab government’s control, between 1-24 Aug, the per day average inflow was 38.7K cusecs against average outflow of 11.2K cusecs. Between 24 Aug-4 Sep the inflow surged to 71.9K cusecs and average outflow surged to 62.8 cusecs. PAC is filing a case in the National Green Tribunal against both the union and state government over the inflow-outflow mismanagement which caused the floods. (earlier coverage).

Initial assessments suggest that approximately 110 km of the India-Pakistan border fence have been affected by floods, with nearly 90 Border Security Force (BSF) posts submerged. Once visible as a continuous line of light at night aerially, the lighting along the fence has gone dark in numerous stretches due to damage or submersion. Villages adjacent to the border such as Mehdi Pur and Mianwali in Tarn Taran district, as well as the last settlements in Fazilka, are among the worst hit. Rising levels of the Ravi, Satluj, and Chenab rivers have left portions of the fence under 2-3 ft of water. On 29 Aug, a 100-foot-wide breach in an embankment caused floodwaters from Pakistan to overflow into India at Mehdi Pur village. Locals from both countries fixed the leak. A lot of cattle from India floated over to Pakistan. Now Pakistan is returning the cattle. Across India (East) Panjab, the most striking sight is ordinary citizens building makeshift bridges with mud, ferrying supplies on tractors, and organizing relief with religious organizations and social groups. 'We Panjabis are known for helping people in disasters,' says Lovepreet Singh of Bathinda in south Panjab, driving a tractor-trolley loaded with rations to affected villages in north Panjab. 'How can we let our own brothers and sisters die of hunger?' The response has been organized, community-driven, and cutting across religious lines. Meanwhile, Sri Akal Takht Sahib (Eternal Throne, AT) acting Jathedar (leader) Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj has called a special meeting of Sikh organizations and Non-Government Organizations serving flood victims with relief tasks at the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee head office on 13 Sep. AT Jathedar said in a statement, 'In this difficult time, Sikh organizations, institutions, groups, personalities, Panjabi actors, and artists have played an admirable role in providing immediate relief to the people of the state. This service is commendable, and it has sent a positive message of Panjab’s spirit of Chardi Kala (ever-rising spirit), nurtured under the name of the Sikh Gurus, across the country and the world' (earlier coverage).

As flood relief efforts intensify across Panjab, a new challenge has emerged—oversupply of aid in several affected areas. Relief materials are arriving in abundance, prompting appeals from volunteers and organizations to pause further deliveries and focus on coordination. Farmers and donors from across Panjab, states such as Haryana, Rajasthan, and regions like Western Uttar Pradesh, Mewat and Tarai—areas active during Farmers Protest 1.0 (2020-21)—are bringing supplies to flood-hit villages. However, ground reports indicate that cooked food and dry rations are now in surplus, with some distribution efforts even leading to disputes. Recognizing the need for better planning, Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) and volunteers have begun coordinating efforts to streamline aid. Panjabi social media platforms are actively urging donors to verify local needs before sending supplies. Many are also advocating holding back resources to support rehabilitation once floodwaters recede. Dal Khalsa working president Paramjit Singh Mand, who has been active in Ajnala, issued a public appeal calling for organized relief efforts, among many others.The pro-farmer platform Tractor2Twitter urged the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee to establish warehouses across Panjab to store incoming supplies. Along with a dozen other groups, the Alliance of Sikh Organizations has established a central base camp at Baggewala village in Ferozepur to store and distribute supplies as needed. Farmers’ unions and farmers in flood-hit Panjab have appealed to philanthropists, NGOs, celebrities, and people from all walks of life to hold further supplies temporarily, and instead help them with long-term rehabilitation. Sarwan Singh Pandher, Coordinator, Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, said he was grateful for the overwhelming response but stressed, ‘Now that water has started receding, the real requirement will come afterwards. Farmers will need much more support once the fields are accessible again. We humbly request NGOs and donors to return after a few days, when water recedes fully to provide meaningful help.’

Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced sweeping Goods and Services Tax (GST) rate cuts effective 22 Sep. The GST revamp brings a majority of items in the 5% and 18% slab. Items like tobacco-related products and luxury cars are now added to the 40% 'sin tax' slab. These changes were long due. In fact, when contrary to any nation in the world, India introduced 5 slabs for GST in 2017, critics and opposition called for changes. In the last nine years there have been 56 GST meetings which have mostly moved items from one slab to another. With these changes, India is now in parity with the rest of the world where either one standard or two slabs apply. The GST reform has taken place after the US President Donald Trump levied a 50% tariff on Indian exports. However, the reason the Trump administration levied the tariff was India’s oil imports from Russia and deemed support to Russia in the Russo-Ukraine war. However, petroleum remains exempt from GST and is left to the states to tax. Panjab is likely to see at least a 20% decline in its GST collections. Panjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema welcomed the reduction in GST rates as a relief for consumers, but emphasised that the union government must compensate the states for the resulting revenue loss. 'When GST was introduced in 2017, all states supported it on the condition that the union government  would compensate them for any revenue loss until their economies stabilized. The economies of the states are still not stable, and the latest rate cuts will have a further impact on them.' Meanwhile, the 80^th session of the United Nations General Assembly will open on 9 Sep. The high-level General Debate will run from 23-29 Sep when Trump will address world leaders on opening day. According to a revised provisional list of speakers, the Indian Prime Minister will not address; India will likely be represented by Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar (earlier coverage).

On 2 Sep, the Indian Union Ministry of Home Affairs said that members of minority communities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan—Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians—who came to India until 31 Dec 2024 to escape religious persecution will be allowed to stay in the country without a passport or other travel documents. However, they will not be granted automatic citizenship. The order is among many issued by the ministry with regard to the recently passed Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, which came into effect from 1 Sep. This comes as a relief for the minorities from aforesaid countries as the Citizenship Amendment Act, which came into force last year, applied only to those who came to India on or before 31 Dec 2014 for eligibility to acquire citizenship. The citizens of Nepal and Bhutan entering India by land or air from the two neighbouring countries will also not be required to furnish a passport or visa, as earlier. The changes still do not include Muslims who too might be prosecuted in neighboring countries. Meanwhile, on 31 Aug, thousands of Australians turned out for anti-immigration rallies across the country that were condemned by the government as having far-right links and 'spreading hate'. March for Australia rallies took place in Sydney, Melbourne, and other major cities—with several clashes taking place as marchers were met with counter demonstrations. According to the Australian government, at the end of June 2023, 845,800 Indian-born people were living in Australia. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021 Census, there were 239,033 people in Australia who spoke Panjabi. Concurrently, recently introduced New Zealand visa rules bring in changes to the way the police clearance certificates are to be obtained by Indian applicants. From 1 Dec 2025, Immigration New Zealand will only accept police clearance certificates issued by a Regional Passport Office of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs. Earlier, Indian visa applicants, including from Panjab, were allowed to provide police clearance certificates from the office of a Deputy Commissioner or Superintendent of Police, or from their local police station (earlier coverage).

Indian National Congress' Leader of Indian Opposition Rahul Gandhi has approached the Allahabad High Court against an order of a special Member of Parliament & Member of Legislative Assembly (MP-MLA) Court, Varanasi. The court had directed a subordinate court to hear afresh an application seeking registration of an First Information Report (FIR) against him for his statement on Sikhs made during a 2024 visit to the United States. Rahul submitted he had not incited the Sikh community to rise in rebellion and that his entire speech was not considered by the court. The court of the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate MP-MLA, Varanasi, had on 28 Nov 2024, rejected the application filed by Nageshwar Mishra seeking registration of an FIR against Rahul. The court had observed that as the speech was given in the US, the matter is outside its jurisdiction. The attempts to keep Rahul tied in litigation is to wear him down and distract him from the number of issues he is raising against the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance’s Indian government. Meanwhile, in the US, after the 12 Aug accident in which truck driver Harjinder Singh made a U-turn on the Florida Turnpike that authorities say caused a crash that killed three people, the Sikh community at large is facing online vitriol denigrating Sikhs who often covet high-paying trucking jobs that allow Sikh men to wear beards, uncut hair, and turbans. Truck driver Prabh Singh said, ‘People are saying: ‘Take the towel heads off the streets’ and ’make our roads safe by taking immigrants off the street.’ Singh is a US citizen who emigrated from India at age 8. ‘All of this before a judge gives a sentence.’ The North American Panjabi Truckers Association estimates that the Sikh workforce makes up about 40% of truck driving on the West Coast and about 20% nationwide. Chief Executive Officer Raman Singh Dhillon said, 'but advocacy groups estimate about 150K Sikh truck drivers work in the US. That number could be as high as 250K given the high demand for drivers post-pandemic' (earlier coverage).

Citing a lack of flexibility, scientific depth, and patient-centred rigor in the state's standard operating procedure (SOP) for private de-addiction centres, the Association of Psychiatrists (AOP), Panjab, has asked the state government to adopt the Indian Psychiatric Society's (IPS) guidelines on the treatment of opioid dependence in place of the current framework. In a letter to the principal secretary of the health department, the AOP said the present SOP prescribes rigid treatment timelines, fixed protocols, and excessive regulatory restrictions that undermine clinical autonomy and compromise patient care. The psychiatrists' body noted that the Panjab SOP was largely drafted through administrative processes and is still based on draft notes prepared at Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh in 2014, which have not been updated since. In contrast, the IPS guidelines, released in Aug 2019 by its Addictive Disorders Specialty Section, were developed through expert consensus and peer review and are aligned with global best practices, including WHO and the American Society of Addiction Medicine. Meanwhile, the Punjab and Haryana High Court declared that legible medical prescriptions and diagnoses are an essential part of the right to health and, therefore, a Fundamental Right under Article 21 of the Constitution. The order, delivered by Justice Jasgurpreet Singh Puri on 27 Aug stemmed from an anticipatory bail plea in a case alleging cheating, forgery, and rape. The order said: 'While looking at the medico-legal report filed by the respondent, along with reply as Annexure R-1, not even a word or a letter was legible.’ A similar issue surfaced in another case, where clinical notes were 'totally illegible.' Concurrent in law, in a major financial relief to power consumers in Panjab, the Supreme Court of India (SCI) has dismissed appeals filed by two private power plants based in the state—Nabha Power Limited (NPL) and Talwandi Sabo Power Limited (TSPL)—seeking over Rs 5,400 crore as compensation as it found the 'appeals devoid of merit.' The saved money would help Punjab State Power Corporation (PSPCL) to keep per unit cost down and ultimately benefit the consumers (earlier coverage).

In the months, years before the floods, Panjab authorities labelled tractors as 'nuisance vehicles'—fined them for road violations and in some cases even impounded them—but now they proved to be the state's most reliable rescue tools amid rescue and relief operations. As torrential rains lashed vast stretches of Panjab, these tractors are venturing deep into submerged regions, rescuing stranded families and delivering critical supplies like food, drinking water, and medicine. In areas where government vehicles and emergency services cannot reach, tractors are moving through waist-deep water, undeterred by the conditions. Even senior officials were seen riding these very tractors to navigate flood-hit zones. This turnaround not only highlights the resilience of Panjab’s farming community but also reveals the deep disconnect that often exists between policy and ground realities. In February 2024, during the Farmers Protest 2.0 (2024-2025) the Punjab and Haryana High Court slammed protesting farmers, camping at the Shambhu border with hundreds of tractors, and said that tractor trailers cannot be used on highways. 'According to the Motor Vehicle Act, you can’t use tractor-trailers on the highway...You are traveling from Amritsar to Delhi on trailers,' the bench orally remarked, adding that it is only in this country that tractor-trailers are plying on highways. At that time the Indian union government kept reasoning that farmers were blocked on Shambhu and Khanauri interstate borders between Panjab and Haryana because they were coming on tractors. Though later they didn't let farmers proceed to Delhi even by foot and tear gassed them. Even during the Farmers Protest 1.0 (2020-2021) the union government did not allow farmers to take out tractor marches. Farmer unions kept insisting that tractors are vital to their livelihood and often their only vehicle, but their voice fell on deaf ears. Villagers and tractor owners, many of whom had faced penalties in the past, are now volunteering their vehicles and risking their lives to help neighbors and strangers alike. In the eyes of Panjab’s people, these tractors are no longer traffic violators—they are lifelines. And their drivers, real-life heroes (earlier coverage).