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Journalism of Courage
As the monsoon intensifies in Punjab, anxiety has gripped several villages situated along the Ghaggar River in Patiala and Sangrur districts, with many fearing a repeat of the devastating floods of August 2023. Rising water levels on Wednesday and Thursday triggered a wave of concern among residents, who are closely monitoring the situation.
“We don’t want the 2023 floods to be repeated. The water level in the Ghaggar River rose on Wednesday and Thursday. We villagers were the first ones to alert the administration. So it is a wait-and-watch situation as the monsoon is still at its peak, and we can expect more rain ahead,” said Jatinder Singh Chhatha, a resident of Dharmaheri village, which lies on the banks of the Ghaggar.
“Last time, the flood damaged all our crops. We had saved our lives by shifting to the first floor of our house, and ultimately the Army had to evacuate the villagers,” he added.
Highlighting a related concern, his father, Harbhajan Singh Chhatha, said, “Mirpur Choi is a drain that passes through our village. It is a long drain that starts from Mirpur village in Nakodar and extends up to Hansi Butana in Haryana. It hasn’t been cleaned properly. Ghaggar’s water falls into that, but it won’t be able to absorb much water if the level rises.”
He stated that the villagers are at the receiving end if the panic situation continues.
Harcharan Singh, a former sarpanch of the village, has warned of compounding risks. “Water from Tangri and Markanda — tributaries of Ghaggar — also converge near our village. Hence, we need to be extra careful. Moreover, the siphon points of the Ghaggar River were also not cleaned thoroughly by the drainage department,” he said.
People in other villages of Patiala, including Sassi, Sassi Brahmna, Hashimpur, etc, are also monitoring the river’s behaviour.
In Sangrur district, the situation is no different. Ranbir Singh, a resident of Bhunder Bhaini village in Moonak tehsil, said, “On Wednesday and Thursday, we got announcements made through the village gurdwara to stay alert as the water level in Ghaggar was rising. Villagers themselves went to check the situation as we received no intimation from the administration. The water has receded now, but the ghost of August 2023 is still haunting us. We can’t get complacent at all.”
He pointed out that the breach in the Ghaggar River in 2019 had also caused damage to crops, lamenting that the residents continue to be the sufferers of Ghaggar fury for decades.
Jatinder Singh of Dharmaheri elaborated on the extent of damage endured last year. “Our houses developed cracks, tube wells were submerged, and all we got was ₹6,800 per acre for 100 per cent crop damage, while the previous Congress government had given ₹12,000 per acre. If any loss happens this time, we’ll have to take care of ourselves. We remember how the government responded in 2023, despite the Punjab chief minister’s claims that compensation would be given even for the loss of a hen and an egg. We can’t trust his words anymore.”
Meanwhile, authorities confirmed that the situation is under control for now. Pratham Gambhir, Executive Engineer, Drainage Department, Patiala, said, “The water level in the Ghaggar River rose to 14 feet on Thursday due to heavy rainfall in the upstream areas of Chandigarh and Dera Bassi. On Wednesday, the level had abruptly risen to 10 feet in the Chandigarh region. However, over the past 24 hours, the water level at the Bhankarpur/Chandigarh site has reduced to 2 feet.
Gambir said that based on the current trend, Ghaggar at Sarala point is not expected to rise further, and levels are beginning to recede. An advisory was issued on Thursday to nearby villages based on Bhankarpur, Chandigarh water levels, he said.
“Now the situation remains under control. Further, no rainfall has been reported in the district for the Ghaggar catchment area in the last 24 hours,” he added.
However, activists and experts believe that beyond the Ghaggar, larger flood-prevention planning is urgently needed across Punjab.
As of August 7, Bhakra Dam’s water level stood at 1,639 feet, with an inflow of 70,000 cusecs and outflow of only 18,000 cusecs, while Pong Dam recorded a level of 1,375 feet, with 97,000 cusecs inflow and 21,000 cusecs outflow.
Jaskirat Singh of Naroa Punjab Forum, an NGO, pointed out that the danger level for the Bhakra dam is 1,650 feet, because after 1,675 feet, water cannot be controlled. For Pong Dam, the danger level is 1,390 feet and becomes uncontrollable beyond 1,410 feet, he added. The NGO that primarily works in the field of river water pollution has urged the government to study the inflow and outflow of water from dams and regulate it accordingly.
“In 2023, there was a sudden release of water from the Bhakra dam on August 16, which led to floods in Punjab. This time, water should be released gradually to avoid a repeat. The Punjab Government and the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) must pay attention to the inflow and release balance,” Jaskirat Singh remarked.
“With August now entering its peak rainfall phase and memories of last year’s flood still raw, both the government and the people are on edge. The question remains—will the state act in time to prevent another disaster?” Jaskirat asked.
Govt orders special assessment on damage in Fazilka district
The Punjab Government has ordered a special girdawari (assessment) in Fazilka district to evaluate the damage caused to crops and houses due to the recent heavy rainfall. This was shared by Amarpreet Kaur Sandhu, Deputy Commissioner, who stated that directions have been issued to all Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) to ensure that the assessment work is completed as early as possible.
Sandhu said that during this special girdawari, a detailed report will be prepared regarding the loss of crops and damage to residential structures.
The Deputy Commissioner mentioned that all departments concerned have been instructed to carry out the special girdawari in a transparent manner, ensuring that no eligible affected individual is left out from the documentation of losses.
She further added that the assessment work will be carried out in a time-bound manner so that the final report can be submitted to the state government without delay.
On the ground situation, the deputy commissioner said that water has been drained from most of the affected areas, and in the remaining locations, teams of officials are continuously working using pumps and other methods to remove the stagnant water.
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