BBMB Pushes Panjab Towards Floods

Heavy rainfall in lower Himalayas and negligence by Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) has created a flood-like situation in Panjab. While rain has caused havoc in Himachal Pradesh, and most of the water is coming into BBMP managed dams on river Satluj and Beas, it is of grave concern that both Bhakra and Pong dams keep storing water and releasing high quantities rapidly without adequate warning. During monsoon, the water inflow in Bhakra and Pong dams are 70K and 90K cusecs respectively. Daily outflow from each dam averages 30K-40K cusecs. For weeks now the Public Action Committee, Mattewara has been asking for gradual increased outflow but BBMB has not paid heed. Suddenly on 17 Aug, Pong Dam released 57K cusecs of water into Beas river and flooded Sultanpur Lodhi and Mand area. On the same day, Bhakra Dam released 90K cusecs causing a flood-like situation in Tarn Taran and Harike headworks. With heavy rains expected on 23-25 Aug, the situation will only worsen. The affected districts include Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala, Fazilka, Ferozepur, Gurdaspur, and Tarn Taran, where rising water levels in rivers and breaches in temporary embankments have raised concerns. Villagers in these areas are rustling up their own embankments to save their fields and homes from floods. BBMB has published a new water release plan which strangely, mostly talks in terms of feet—reservoir height and gate open size—not cusecs. The Panjab Health department has now been put on a high alert. The department has deployed 172 ambulances, 438 rapid response teams, and 323 mobile medical teams for flood-affected areas. The civil surgeons of likely affected districts have been asked to remain on alert in view of the weather conditions. As during the 2023 floods, the administration’s mismanagement of water release is related to the flawed BBMB water distribution arrangements with Haryana and Rajasthan which prioritize the needs of those states at the cost of Panjab. Meanwhile, flash floods have killed at least 337 people in northwestern Pakistan, according to the National Disaster Management Authority, while dozens remain missing (earlier coverage).