Punjab Cong leader Sukhjinder Randhawa writes to PM, seeks probe into ‘act of irrigation secy’ for not releasing funds
Randhawa further said that the flood crisis is still unfolding and the “scale of human suffering and economic devastation” in his constituency — Gurdaspur and Pathankot, two strategically sensitive border districts — demands urgent national attention.
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Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Lok Sabha MP from Gurdaspur.Urgent measures need to be taken to strengthen the banks of Ravi river and its feeder rivulets as Pakistan has already done so leading to flood waters getting pushed into Punjab, Congress leader Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa Monday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Gurdaspur MP also sought an independent inquiry into the “act and conduct of the Principal Secretary, Irrigation, Punjab cadre IAS officer Krishan Kumar”. The MP alleged that release of essential funds were deliberately withheld. “This failure directly undermined our ability to maintain embankments and flood defenses, including on the Ravi, and has now become a matter of national security, as breaches in the river make it impossible for Infantry or Armoured Vehicles to mobilise in case of an eventuality. This inquiry must be conducted on priority, independent of all else requested, so that responsibility is fixed and corrective action taken,” he said.
Randhawa further said that the flood crisis is still unfolding and the “scale of human suffering and economic devastation” in his constituency — Gurdaspur and Pathankot, two strategically sensitive border districts — demands urgent national attention.
Highlighting the vulnerability of the border areas, the MP pointed that Ravi river carries 1–2 lakh cusecs during the monsoon, but when the Madhopur Barrage gave way, the discharge surged to over 4 lakh cusecs, overwhelming the fragile defenses. “The barrage itself is still dependent on colonial-era, manually operated gates, which jammed under the tremendous head-on pressure of the Ravi in spate. This critical infrastructure must now be comprehensively rebuilt with electromechanical controlled gates and modern design standards, ensuring safe operation even during high flood surges,” he said.
The MP highlighted that downstream, tributaries such as the Jalali, Ujh, and Basantar Nala join the Ravi, unleashing fresh surge and widespread havoc.
“It is imperative that the pending projects on these tributaries are completed expeditiously to prevent recurring devastation. Since the right bank of the Ravi is fortified by the Pakistan Army with concrete boulders, floodwaters are pushed onto our left bank, where the natural slope compounds the damage. The old Dhusi Bandh, already in a dilapidated condition, failed under this onslaught. It must be rebuilt afresh to modern standards, incorporating defensive works that are also essential for the security of our armed forces deployed in this border belt,” said Randhawa.
\The MP wrote that the UBDC, a British-era canal originally conceived as a combined irrigation and flood-protection system, must be remodelled and strengthened to serve its purpose effectively. “It is vital for lean-season irrigation across the border districts of Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Amritsar, and Tarn Taran”.
Pointing out that a large number of villages situated beyond the Ravi are routinely cut off during the flood season, Randhawa said these habitations, many in eyeball-to-eyeball contact with Pakistan, urgently require all-season connectivity through modern bridges and approach roads.
“The losses to crops, livestock, homes, and rural infrastructure are unprecedented. Given that this is a border region with a primarily rural population, the damage must not be measured by the narrow norms of the NDMA. Full and unconditional compensation is essential. The already fragile network of rural roads and bridges has been further damaged and must be rebuilt urgently—preferably through the Border Roads Organisation,” he said.
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