‘Bhakra Beas Management Board does not listen to us’: Punjab Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal

Barinder Kumar Goyal: There wasn’t really any ‘holding’ – the upstream inflow suddenly surged. There was also an increase in the water level downstream in Himachal Pradesh. The dam was releasing water regularly, and full monitoring was being done. Water is released after assessing that it would not cause any sudden excessive damage downstream.

Q: From August 24 to 26, inflow remained above outflow, and the water level in the dam rose to 527.13 metres. After August 26, outflows increased markedly compared with inflows, and the water level eased from 527.13 metres to 525.65 metres. Shouldn’t more water have been released on August 25, while it was raining upstream?

Goyal: Let me tell you frankly. What happened was totally unexpected. No one had imagined it would be like this. All calculations were upended; flows came from the upper rivers in Himachal, as well as from the Pathankot side.

So, when floodwaters from the upper reaches came down, even if less water was released from the dam, everything downstream would have been overwhelmed anyway.

Moreover, if there’s any risk to the dam, then water has to be released. The dam cannot be endangered.

Q: There is a perception that water is suddenly released by BBMB or other dam authorities as part of a ‘water bomb’ conspiracy to devastate people downstream. 

Goyal: Such feelings are natural to arise in people’s minds in such a situation. Roughly, three lakh acres of crops are affected, and that is a huge loss for Punjab’s economy. But they (Centre) sit with their eyes shut. There is no hesitation in saying that they do not care about Punjab’s people.

Q: People allege that BBMB keeps holding water till the last moment and then, suddenly, releases it.

Goyal: This is absolutely correct. We had asked them to release water when the water level in the dam was at 1,660 feet, and there was a possibility of more rain. But BBMB said ‘no’, they told us they will release water only after the water level reaches 1,665 feet.

As far as guidelines are concerned, they have no guidelines for favouring Haryana. They just do as they like.

Q: Has it always been like this, or is it because of a clash between the BJP-led Centre and Opposition-led state governments?

Goyal: They create this problem; they don’t listen to the states. Practically speaking, you should start releasing water from 1,360 feet. These guidelines are only for Punjab. When they wanted to give water to Haryana after it had already utilised its share, they put the guidelines aside. Haryana had already utilised its share of water earlier this year, and BBMB still wanted to give more water to Haryana. We, on humanitarian grounds, allowed them to release 4,000 cusecs of water for Haryana.

Q: Had BBMB given more water to Haryana then, would the water level at the dam have been maintained?

Goyal: BBMB said, ‘Just listen to us, and allow us to give water to Haryana.’ They had no concerns about maintaining the dam level at that time.

Q: When flood water inundates low-lying areas, people often don’t get time to move their cattle to safety. Were the people informed this time?

Goyal: This time, water also came from the Pakistan side, looping back; it came from the upper rivers in Himachal as well. We got no warning from Himachal. Everyone is just busy saving themselves. No one is looking toward anyone else. We are engaged in saving Punjab. As for the water releases we had to make, we did issue alerts. I went to Ajnala in the Amritsar district. We performed our duty. By God’s grace, there were no casualties.

Q: Have you taken any lessons from this latest crisis, so that such episodes can be prevented in future?

Goyal: After the 2023 floods, we strengthened embankments by spending Rs 276 crore. This time, no embankments actually broke; the embankments overflowed – the water was so much that it ran over the top. So, what could be done in such cases?

Q: In Sabrawan, people said they had requested you to install stones along certain points of the embankments, as they break easily. But they alleged that nothing was done.

Goyal: Whatever was possible was done; which state government would want the people of the state to suffer losses? See, this was totally unexpected. Speaking of the history of flooding in Punjab, people usually mention either 1988 or 2023. Yet, this time the rainfall was higher than in both 1988 and 2023. This is the time to come together and help people. It pains me to know that the Leader of Opposition, Partap Singh Bajwa, said that 8,000 kilometres of drains were not cleaned. That was done. This is not the time to be telling lies.

Q: He showed a drain where there was still vegetation; he said this was cleaned, yet plants were still there – that’s the point he was making.

Goyal: Tell me about these things… I went to a village where the entire bridge was submerged. On the Pakistan side, there is an embankment. People said that if only we had such an embankment here the situation would have been better. I said when water is high enough to submerge a bridge, what embankment would work. This is why I told Bajwa Sahib that it was not a time to lie. We have a system for drain cleaning. At the local level our officers form a committee. Then a meeting is held in Chandigarh, and only then is the drain cleaning carried out. Besides, this is not the time for politics; politics can be done later.

Q: Even before the AAP government came to power, it was widely believed that the drainage or irrigation department was among the most corrupt. There was a big scam, too, in which a contractor’s name came up; some probe began under you, but then it was shelved.

Goyal: As they say, ‘Once burned by milk, one blows even on buttermilk.’ Today, I will only say that everyone should come together… and shouldn’t the central government step forward now?

Q: The Centre has not declared the Punjab floods a natural calamity. What are the parameters for declaring a national calamity?

Goyal: If such a thing happens in another state, the Hon’ble Prime Minister announces assistance of Rs 10,000 crore. The Centre is sleeping on the job. Through the media, the whole world now knows what the situation in Punjab has become.

Q: Technically, does the Punjab government also have to declare a natural calamity?

Goyal: The Central Government should declare the Punjab floods a national calamity and provide financial assistance.

Q: There is a perception that water is suddenly released from BBMB or other dams as part of a conspiracy to devastate people downstream.

Goyal: Such feelings are natural to arise in people’s minds in such a situation. Roughly, three lakh acres of crops are affected and that is a huge loss for Punjab’s economy. But they (Centre) sit with their eyes shut. There is no hesitation in saying they do not care about Punjab’s people.

Q: Has there been any formal communication from the Punjab Government to the Central Government about the present situation?

Goyal: There is no need for communication; the biggest communication channel is the media. Today, there was a newspaper photo of the Punjab Governor speaking with Amit Shah ji. But why such a delay – why even a minute’s delay – why are they not stepping forward?

All the GST money goes to the Centre, and the states end up looking like beggars – that is an insult to the federal framework of the Constitution.