Sutlej, Ghaggar breach banks in Punjab

Tribune News Service

Ruchika M Khanna

Chandigarh, July 9

Incessant rainfall since Saturday morning has rivers in Punjab overflowing and large swathes of land along the banks of the Sutlej and the Ghaggar inundated.

It is after 19 years that Ghaggar has seen such a heavy flow of water, say officials in the Irrigation Department. In many areas along the river in Dera Bassi and Mohali, rescue teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) evacuated people. At Bhankhapur, a water discharge of 61,552 cusecs was recorded this evening. The Punjab Government also sought the Army’s help in rescue and relief operations in Mohali and Patiala districts. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann directed all ministers and MLAs to remain present in the flood-hit areas and help in rescue and relief operations. Deputy Commissioners and SSPs were also asked to coordinate with community leaders. Ministers and MLAs were seen surveying flood-affected areas.

In Patiala, preventive evacuation was carried out by the administration in low-lying areas along the Badi Nadi.

The water level in Ghaggar crossed the 10-ft danger mark in the morning hours today, rising to 12.5 feet before beginning to recede by evening. Similarly, the downstream water discharge in the Sutlej recorded at 3 pm today was 1.79 lakh cusecs, against a normal discharge of 12,000 cusecs. As a result, low-lying areas in villages along the river and its tributaries in Ropar and Anandpur Sahib were inundated.

Ropar, from where Sutlej and its Siswan, Budhki and Sangrao tributaries flow, recorded the highest rainfall in the state at 270 mm, followed by Tibri (in Gurdasapur) at 245 mm, Madhopur (187 mm) and Dhaliwal (167 mm), triggering flashfloods. However, the situation in Gurdaspur and Pathankot districts was not as serious, as the Ujh river, where water was also flowing over the safe mark of 95,000 cusecs, meanders into Pakistan.

The Irrigation Department data shows that water in Bhakra, Pong and Ranjit Sagar dams was flowing close to the danger mark. “We are keeping a close watch. Men and machinery are ready to deal with any situation,” Chief Engineer, Drainage, HS Mehndiratta said.

Officials said the next few hours would be crucial. “We will have to keep a close watch to ensure safety of life and property,” said Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, Water Resources Minister, who also toured the affected areas.

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