Chandigarh: Sultanpur Lodhi MLA Rana Inder Partap Singh has urged Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to act immediately to contain the escalating flood situation in Kapurthala district, warning that unchecked water levels in the Beas River are already wreaking havoc on farmlands.
Speaking at a press conference after touring affected areas, the MLA said floodwaters had submerged agricultural land across at least 25 villages in his constituency, causing extensive damage to standing paddy crops. He criticized the state government for failing to anticipate the crisis despite steadily rising water levels in major rivers and reservoirs.
“Neighbouring states benefit from dams, while Punjab pays the price when excess water is released during heavy rains. It is Punjab that bears the brunt in the form of floods,” Rana Inder Partap Singh said, calling on the government to implement immediate safeguards to protect people and property.
The MLA cautioned that 25 to 30 assembly constituencies along the Beas, Ghaggar, Ravi, and Sutlej rivers remain at risk, and appealed to legislators across party lines, including those from the ruling AAP, to advocate for urgent preventive measures.
Citing figures, he noted that the Pong Dam water level has surged from 1,366 feet on August 4 to over 1,377.5 feet — dangerously close to the 1,390-foot danger mark. At Harike, while inflow stands at nearly 13 lakh cusecs, only 3 lakh cusecs are being released downstream and 2.5 lakh cusecs diverted into a river channel. “Over 7 lakh cusecs of water is being retained. Without controlled, strategic releases, Punjab could face catastrophic flooding,” he warned.
He further flagged rising water levels at the Bhakra Dam on the Sutlej River, which currently stands at 1,650 feet — just 30 feet below its danger level of 1,680 feet — saying incoming heavy inflows could push the system into crisis.
Despite repeated alerts to the irrigation minister, department secretary, and chief engineers, Rana Inder Partap Singh alleged that no concrete measures have been implemented so far. “Officials are shifting responsibility instead of recognizing the urgency on the ground,” he charged.
Exposing the state’s lack of flood readiness, the MLA revealed that the entire Kapurthala district has fewer than 5,000 sandbags and just 50 crates to manage any sudden flood or embankment breach. “This shows sheer negligence and incompetence. The government must act decisively and without delay before the situation spirals out of control,” he demanded.
