Governor urges Punjab, Haryana to find solution to Ghaggar problem

Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria on Saturday urged the state and neighbouring Haryana to work together to chalk out a strategy to “solve long-pending issue” related to the Ghaggar.

Kataria said this during a visit to flood-affected villages on the Punjab-Haryana border in Patiala.

Former Patiala MP and BJP leader Preneet Kaur, along with farmers from flood-affected villagers, submitted a memorandum to Kataria, highlighting the grave situation caused by the obstruction of the Ghaggar’s natural flow due to the Hansi–Butana Canal.

The memorandum stated that villages such as Sassi Brahmanan, Sassi Gujjran, Dharamhedi, Hashampur, Bhagwanpur and Sassa in Patiala district had suffered large-scale devastation. “Thousands of acres of fertile farmland has been submerged, forcing farmers and residents to face immense hardships. The flooding has been primarily attributed to heavy silt deposition in the siphons and embankments of the canal, which has blocked the natural discharge of water,” it said.

Highlighting the long-standing legal dispute over the Ghaggar between Punjab and Haryana, the Governor called on both states to reach a mutual agreement and inform the Supreme Court so that the 35-year-old issue could be settled and a lasting solution to the problem achieved.

He also referred to the need for widening the river stretch from Makraud Sahib to Karail as well as the Hansi-Butana Canal and its siphons to improve water flow.

The Governor also held a meeting with the district administration, Army and drainage officials, discussing relief and rehabilitation measures.

He stressed the need to strengthen the embankments along the Ghaggar. “There is a need to have a detailed roadmap in place to solve this problem of floods,” said the Governor before he inspected the water flow in the river at Sarala Headworks.

Kataria said Punjab had suffered unprecedented losses in these floods, even more severe than those of 1988. He said a special girdawari had been launched to assess crop and property losses and lauded the coordination among the administration, police, Army and local residents in tackling the crisis.

Responding to a query, Kataria said the Prime Minister had sanctioned Rs 1,600 crore as immediate assistance for Punjab and promised that the Centre would extend further support once damage assessments were finalised. He emphasised the importance of real-time data on dam water levels and technical measures to minimise flood damage, while clarifying that though siltation may have reduced dam capacity, “there is no threat to their safety”.