Severe Flooding in Punjab: Minister Blames Multiple Entities

Punjab’s Water Resources Minister, Barinder Kumar Goyal, has held the Union Government, Haryana, and a private contractor responsible for the state’s unprecedented floods, the worst in nearly four decades. The Minister claimed that the Union Government’s actions exacerbated the crisis and that the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) could have lessened the impact by releasing water in June. He also expressed disappointment over the Prime Minister’s lack of response or assistance. Goyal also scrutinized Haryana’s actions, accusing the state of a contradictory approach of offering help while simultaneously reducing water flow to protect its own systems. Moreover, he disclosed that Level 19 Biz Private Limited, a private company, provided a faulty assessment of the Madhopur headworks gates, leading to their failure and a fatality. He noted that the current flooding situation is more severe than in 1988, driven by heavy rainfall and water convergence. The Punjab government has responded with extensive rescue and relief measures, including the evacuation of residents, the care of animals, and the provision of aid in relief camps. The Minister appealed for unity among all political parties in the region.