CHANDIGARH: Due to continuous rain in Himachal Pradesh, the swollen Beas river has breached temporary bunds, inundating more than dozen villages in the Mand area of Sultanpur Lodhi and Bholath in Kapurthala district of Punjab. More than 4,000 acres of agricultural land and other residential areas have been submerged.
Meanwhile, affected farmers have taken shelter on the ramp of dhussi bund and rooftops to save themselves from flood waters. Sources said that the worst-affected villages identified as Baupur, Bhaini Bahadur, Kadar Baksh, Baupur Jadid, Baupur Kadim, Rampur Gaura, Sangra, Middhewal and Passan Kadim. Villagers have loaded the trucks and tempos to shift their belongings to safer places. Meanwhile, others, unable to shift at such a short time, moved their grains and belongings to the upper floors of houses.
Jarnail Singh resident of Baupur village said that the affected the villagers have shifted to safer places and added that thousands of acres of standing crops have been submerged under five to six feet of water.
"Water has already reached the lower levels of our houses; we need boats even to travel through our own village," he said.
Rajya Sabha MP Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal, who visited the flood-affected villages, said, a breach near Baupur village has caused massive damage to standing crops of paddy, which were submerged under four to five feet of water.
Deputy Commissioner Amit Kumar Panchal visited Baupur Jadid in the mand area, travelling by tractor to personally engage with farmers and residents. He reviewed the ongoing flood prevention and relief measures, confirming that the water flow in the Beas River is currently stable at 1.05 lakh cusecs, with no increase reported in the last 12 hours and emphasised that the Dhussi bund remains fully secure, urging the public to remain calm and avoid panic.
As a precautionary measure, Panchal ordered the closure of Government High School and Government Primary School in Baupur Jadid for the next two days. Relief centers have been identified to facilitate the safe relocation of residents if required.
"The district administration is well-prepared to address any adverse situation, with arrangements in place for dry rations, green fodder for livestock, medicines, and fully equipped relief camps. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams are on high alert to respond swiftly if needed," he said.
Panchal also noted that approximately 20,000 sandbags have been prepared by MGNREGA workers to strengthen flood defences. The Drainage Department is closely monitoring water release from the Pong Dam and maintaining direct coordination with the Harike Headworks for continuous water discharge management.
Congress MLA from Bholath Sukhpal Khaira made an FB video appeal to the state government to act immediately to prevent the flooding of villages. "I appeal to state CM, Revenue Minister and the Disaster Management Department to initiate immediate measures across the Mand and catchment areas of the river to prevent floods," he added.
Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa said that with floods already wreaking havoc in some parts of the state, he highlighted that torrential rains in hilly regions, coupled with the release of excess water from dams, have inundated thousands of acres of farmland in the Kapurthala district. Similarly, water released from the Pong Dam has severely impacted farmers across nearly three dozen villages in the Mukerian sub-division. Tarn Taran district is also facing a similar situation, with rising water levels threatening lives, homes, and crops.
"The AAP government has clearly failed to learn from the 2023 floods, which caused widespread destruction across the state. It has not taken even the most basic measures—such as clearing drainage systems or reinforcing embankments—to mitigate future risks. Instead of upgrading our flood management systems and preparing for the monsoon, the government chose complacency. As a result, the people of Punjab—especially its farmers—are once again paying the price for this apathy," Bajwa alleged.
