Floods need planning, preventive steps to check losses

Restrict buildings in floodplains

The government should frame strict rules to regulate construction in floodplains. It must identify high-risk areas using scientific mapping and restrict residential, commercial and industrial buildings there. Environmental impact assessments should be mandatory before granting approvals. Existing settlements in vulnerable zones should be provided with safer alternatives or flood-resistant designs. Public awareness campaigns should educate citizens on flood risks and safe construction practices. Early warning systems and proper drainage infrastructure should be improved. Local bodies must work with experts, planners and communities to ensure sustainable development without harming ecosystems. Enforcing these policies will protect lives, reduce disaster-related expenses and promote safer, long-term urban planning.”

Kawaljit Singh Bhatia

Better preparedness can mitigate effects

Punjab has witnessed one of the worst floods in recent history, with Amritsar and Gurdaspur among the districts most devastated by this natural calamity. Entire villages went under water, displacing lakhs of people and leaving behind a trail of destruction including life, livelihood and property. As I reflect on the tragedy, one question keeps echoing—could the impact have been reduced with better preparedness? Every year, monsoons are expected, yet year after year, we see poor planning, weak embankments, and insufficient disaster management. Had timely measures like strengthening riverbanks, effective drainage systems and pre-monsoon evacuation plans been in place, countless families might have been spared this suffering. Floods are natural, but the scale of damage is often man-made. This calamity must be a wake-up call for authorities and communities alike to rethink strategies, prioritise prevention and build resilience. The people of Punjab deserve safety, not just sympathy, after devastation strikes.

Vaani Mehra

Need for floodplain regulation policy

The recurring floods in Punjab (2023-25) have caused massive destruction to crops, property and infrastructure, exposing the vulnerability created by unregulated construction on river floodplains. The first factor is environmental risk. Floodplains act as natural sponges. Encroachments obstruct drainage, increase siltation, and intensify inundation. The second factor is legal vacuum. Unlike river-zoning in other states, Punjab lacks a dedicated Floodplain Regulation Act. Judicial precedents (example NGT on Yamuna floodplains) highlight the urgency of legal safeguards. Thirdly, socio-economic impact matters. Marginal farmers and the urban poor bear the brunt of displacement and economic losses. Property insurance and relocation packages can provide resilience. The fourth factor is policy imperative. Scientific river basin mapping and demarcation of no-construction zones, strict land use planning with penalties for encroachment, eco-restoration of riverbanks and afforestation drives, community awareness and integration with NDMA guidelines are all elements that need a consideration. A forward looking floodplain policy can shift Punjab from reactive relief to preventive resilience, ensuring environmental sustainability and human security.

Advocate Preetpal Singh Chhina

Map high-risk areas to prevent floods

The recent floods in Punjab have shown the deadly cost of unregulated construction along rivers. Floodplains are natural safety zones, absorbing excess water and reducing flood severity. When encroached upon, they magnify destruction, causing loss of life, property and livelihoods. Punjab urgently needs a strong floodplain regulation policy. This must include scientific mapping of high-risk areas, a complete ban on permanent structures there, creation of buffer zones along riverbanks, and permission only for seasonal or eco-friendly land use. Vulnerable communities should be relocated with proper rehabilitation, and strict penalties enforced for violations. A decisive policy will save lives, reduce economic losses and protect Punjab’s fragile river ecosystem for generations to come.

Dr Kulbir Kaur

Sustainability and preservation needed

Nature is guiding human beings towards sustainability and preservation. Recent floods have caused massive destruction at all levels, including physical, mental, emotional and financial. The cutting of trees and poor water management has contributed to the severity of the worst floods ever. To avoid man-made disasters, we need to be thoughtful, especially those near rivers and mountains during the construction of buildings. Civil engineers, town planners and the government must collaborate to develop policies that help to prevent such destruction in the future. The policies must be implemented in letter and spirit; otherwise, what nature can do is beyond our imagination.

Vijay Laxmi

Floodplain zoning is required

The government should implement policies to regulate construction in floodplains, as the NITI Aayog and other expert committees have strongly recommended this non-structural approach to mitigate flood damage. These policies are necessary because unchecked construction and encroachment on floodplains reduce the natural capacity of rivers to absorb water, increase run-off, damage riverine ecosystems, and heighten the risk and severity of floods, leading to significant property destruction and loss of life. Floodplain zoning is identified as a crucial strategy to manage flood risk effectively.

Sanjay Chawla

Run campaigns, have warning systems

The government should come out with a policy to regulate construction in the floodplains in the state due to the massive destruction of property caused by floods along the course of rivers. Some measures for regulation could include: a) the government should decide a maximum distance for construction from rivers, at least 50-100 metres; b) trees should be planted to help prevent soil erosion; c) a wall near the river is necessary to protect against floods; d) the government should develop early warning systems to alert people on time about floods; e) the government should run campaigns to increase flood risk awareness among people. I think the right way is to regulate construction in the floodplain area for the future too.

Sheetal Dhawan

Riverine belt is sacrosanct

Let us not forget that Punjab, at the receiving end of the Indus river system, suffers from the policy paralysis of riverine belts in the hill states. The policy so outlined must consider that the riverine belt is sacrosanct. Construction on the floodplains, illegal mining, throwing debris and waste into rivers and their tributaries is an absolute no. Dredging the Punjab dams, the rivers thence and the canals would be sand revenue for the state, and increase holding capacities by a minimum of 20 per cent. Rivers have mighty flows augmented by releases by dam floodgates, so securing the mud bundhs with hardy rock surfaces and wire meshes perhaps, even technical textiles, could be a game-changer to secure citizens’ livelihoods and assets.

Gunbir Singh, president, Dilbir Foundation

encroachments & illegal cultivation

It becomes the moral duty and responsibility of the state government to come out with the policy and planned measures to regulate construction in the flood-affected areas. As the NGT mandates, a 500 meter no-construction zone from a river centre is required. There is need to formulate building codes along with the prohibition of double-storey constructions. There is also a need to prevent the illegal riverbed cultivation and encroachment into drains. Governments must designate high, moderate and low-hazard zones along rivers and other water bodies. In high-hazard areas, new construction must be restricted or prohibited altogether. In the rest of zones, strict building codes must be applied effectively.

Dr Kanwaljit Dhillon

Awareness can help in compliance

Massive damage to property along the course of rivers during the current floods is the result of mushrooming of large-scale illegal constructions, exposing chinks in the existing environment and forest laws and the nexus of government officials under whom all norms of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) were thrown to winds. Construction of structures on floodplains obstructs the natural flow of water leading to flood risk due to narrowing of river width. A new policy should be drafted to ban the erection of any structures at the outset and strictly enforce floodplain zoning laws. The only way out of recurrent floods is to strictly enforce compliance of floodplain zoning laws and awareness campaign among the public to reduce pressure on fragile lands to prevent man-made flood disaster that wreaks havoc in the form of loss of human lives and livestock in modern times when advance warning system is in place to avert the maximum impact.

Anil Vinayak

Encroachments on riverbeds

Though there have been of arguments over what caused the floods in Punjab — whether it was a natural calamity as is being claimed by the government or a man-made disaster as is being argued by the experts and farmers — one thing that is clear is that there has been an encroachment on riverbeds, which is the natural course of water flow. These encroachments not only changed the course of the river but also caused damage to the illegal constructions that mushroomed without any check. However, various governments in the state have turned a blind eye as the encroachers also enjoy political clout. The state failed to form any policy and ensure its strict implementation. These floods are a wake-up call to take steps for the rehabilitation of floods victims.

Vikramijit Singh