Chandigarh: With the Indian Meteorological Department predicting heavy rainfall on October 6 and 7 across Punjab and the upper catchment areas of the Ravi and Beas rivers, the Punjab Government has begun taking urgent steps to prevent a repeat of the devastating floods that struck the state just weeks ago.
Officials in the Water Resources Department have increased outflows from the Ranjit Sagar and Pong dams in a bid to manage reservoir levels ahead of the anticipated rainfall. These proactive measures come in response to fears that torrential rain in neighbouring Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir could result in a dangerous surge in river water entering Punjab.
The memory of August-September’s catastrophic floods — which claimed 59 lives, killed thousands of livestock, and ravaged close to five lakh acres of agricultural land — remains fresh, prompting the government to act early.
The water discharge from the Ranjit Sagar Dam into the Ravi River was stepped up from 20,362 cusecs to 37,686 cusecs starting 1 p.m. on Friday. Officials say the current water level at the dam stands at 523.53 feet — safely below the danger level — but the risk of a sudden spike due to inflows from 22 hill rivulets feeding into the Ravi remains a concern.
Meanwhile, despite the Pong Dam on the Beas River also operating below its critical level, steady outflows of 17,171 cusecs are being maintained to accommodate possible increased inflow.
An official from the department also warned of potential rises in the Sutlej River levels due to widespread rainfall across Punjab itself.
In anticipation of additional strain on water systems, the Punjab Government has reached out to Haryana’s Irrigation and Water Resources Department. A letter has been sent requesting regulation of water from the Kaushalya Dam, located on the Ghaggar River, so that the dam has sufficient buffer capacity for any incoming floodwaters. Authorities hope this coordination will help reduce the chances of flooding in downstream areas of Punjab.
The next 48 to 72 hours are expected to be closely monitored by disaster management and water control teams, as the state braces for another test of its flood resilience.
