BBMB reacts to royalpatiala.in report: Punjab floods – a natural disaster or manmade?
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in News/ August 28,2025
After News Portal www.royalpatiala.in highlighted the issue to floods in Punjab in these columns under the headline “Punjab floods – a natural disaster or manmade?” on Wednesday (August 27, 2025), Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) on Thursday evening justified its decision for opening of floodgates.
The news on Wednesday highlighted as to how the release of water from Bhakra, Pong and Ranjit Sagar dams has worsened the flood situation in the Plans of Punjab which led to tens of thousands of hectares being submerged in floods leading to heavy losses to crops and cattle. Bhakra and Pong dam are managed by BBMB while Ranjit Sagar Dam (RSD) is controlled by the Punjab government.
In an unsigned, and unattributed press note released by the BBMB on Thursday claimed that: “The level of Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) reservoirs i.e. Bhakra and Pong on 28.08.2025 are about 1672 feet and 1393 feet respectively. This monsoon, the inflows into the Pong reservoir (July-August) have been 9.68 BCM which is highest ever since inception of project and even higher than in the earlier flood years 1988 (7.70 BCM) and 2023 (9.19 BCM)”.
BBMB has got developed rule curves for operation of Bhakra and Pong dams from Central Water Commission (CWC) during 2024 and BBMB is implementing these rule curves this year. The water releases from BBMB dams are decided by the Technical Committee BBMB comprising of senior officers of BBMB, Chief Engineers from the partner states, Central Water Commission and a special invitee from Indian Metrological Department (IMD) also. During the current monsoon season, all of the decisions such as commencement of spillway operation, quantum of releases/outflows, schedule of release plan etc. have been taken by the Technical Committee (TC) meetings after obtaining consensus in most informed and transparent manner and till date since 01.08.2025. The Technical Committee has conducted seven meetings during August, 2025 to decide the releases.
The regulation of BBMB reservoir operation in the year 2025 has been done keeping in view all the relevant factors such as Upper Rule Curve, carrying capacity of River Beas downstream of Pong Dam, sufficient storage for the upcoming depletion phase and avoiding damages on account of synchronization of rivulets/khads in the downstream region etc. Due to consistently higher inflows, the enhancement of releases from BBMB reservoirs have been very gradual keeping in view the safety of dam as well as downstream areas by the Technical Committee in a transparent manner.”
News portal www.royalpatiala.in had pointed out that in two years, two floods have affected the life of Punjab. Are the floods a natural disaster or have been caused to occur due to the negligent behavior of officers of Punjab Water Resources (Irrigation) department or Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB)?
The news further highlighted how the release of water from Bhakra, Pong and Ranjit Sagar dams has worsened the situation. Many villages near the rivers have been cut off, submerged as deep as 15 feet into flood waters, bridges damaged, fields waterlogged and water inundated the houses. In several areas breach in bundh affect crops across thousands of acres in many areas. As per estimated figures, as of now more than 90K acres of land is submerged in water in Punjab. The Sutlej carried its own fury, swollen by Bhakra’s releases”, but BBMB failed to address this key issue.
Retired bureaucrat lashes at irrigation department, sides with bureaucracy
Meanwhile, a senior bureaucrat who remained Principal Secretary Punjab Irrigation department and retired from the post of Special chief secretary also highlighted the matter pointing fingers at Punjab’s irrigation department for the mismanagement that led to floods in the plains of Punjab, while he sided with the bureaucracy as having worked very hard to control the flood situation and carryout relief work after royalpatiala.in News Portal highlighted the matter on Wednesday.
He demanded that setting accountability on the irrigation and water resources department. “This was not a national disaster, but failure of vigilance, preparation and duty”, the retired bureaucrat has said in a post on his account on a social media platform. Pertinently all decisions in the irrigation and water resources department are taken at the level of Principal Secretary irrigation and water resources department Krishan Kumar a 1997 batch IAS officer. BBMB has also announced the opening of floodgates was agreed upon by Krishan Kumar.
ALSO READ
