Residents shift to higher ground amidst Ghaggar river alert in Patiala villages

As the district administration issued a flood alert, inhabitants of flood-prone villages on the banks of the Ghaggar in Samana, Sanaur, Patran and Ghanaur have started shifting rations and potable water to the first floor of their houses.

Kapoor Kaur, 52, has started setting up a temporary kitchen on the first floor of her house at Dharmerhi village. This is an annual drill for hundreds of residents of villages along the Ghaggar, a bane of the area.

“This year, we have shifted belongings thrice. In June, when we expected rains, they were pretty normal. Then again in July-end, but by then the water in Ghaggar was only 4-5 feet. We again shifted back to ground floor. Now yesterday, there was an alert and now we fear the worse as we shift our kitchen and belongings to the first floor,” she says.

Meanwhile, Hardeep Singh Cheema from the same village says that he has already tried to put sand bags near Ghaggar as the embankment can give way anytime. “Instead of wasting time and waiting for administration’s help, few villagers chipped in and we pooled in over Rs 2 lakh worth of sand bags to save our village,” says Cheema who suffered losses worth lakhs in the 2023 floods.

Flowing from the Shivalik hills, the seasonal river wreaked havoc in 2010 and 2023, besides causing damage almost every alternate year.

“We never feel safe living here (near Ghaggar), but there is nothing much we can do. Leaders and political parties have given assurances but nothing concrete has been done. Floods can spoil our lives anytime during monsoon,” says Harpreet Singh of Devigarh.

“Even if there is a slight alert, we do not take chances as Ghaggar water gives no time. Over the past few decades we have learnt our lessons. We do not take an iota of chance and shift everything to safer location. When Ghaggar swells, it fills the village and fields within hours,” says Binder Singh of Hashimpur Mangta, a village hit by floods many times. “Every monsoon, we move our rations and potable water to the first floor to survive in case of floods, which are quite common during this time of the year,” he says, adding they save up on dry fodder for cattle as well.

Earlier, the river banks spanned nearly 500 metres at some places, ensuring unhindered flow of excess water, causing minimal damage.

“Illegal structures such as deras and illegal sheds have come up on the banks. In the absence of checks over the years due to political interference, the river sheet spread area has decreased considerably, causing flooding,” says Jaskaran Singh Sandhu, a former Chief Engineer with the Irrigation Department. “Illegal farming and mining in several villages have added to the problem,” he says.

While the district administration and Irrigation Department have started desilting, work to clear the riverbed, villagers are not ready to take a chance. “In 2023, the government had promised that ample arrangements had been made to safeguard our life and property, but we were hit by worst floods in years, washing away our entire paddy crop and 26 buffaloes,” recalls Gurdeep Singh Untsar from village Untsar where the Ghaggar usually hits first.

Meanwhile, the district administration has sounded alert for villages around Ghaggar, Tangri and Jhambo Choe which have filled up.

“We advise people not to venture near these water bodies and contact Patiala District Control Room No. 0175-2350550 and 2358550 in case of any flood-related query,” reads the latest Patiala administration advisory.