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Indian Express
5 days ago
- Climate
- Indian Express
No flood-like situation in Punjab, water level in dams within safe limits: Minister Goyal
The water levels in reservoir in Punjab are stable and there is currently no flood-like situation in the state, Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal Monday informed the Vidhan Sabha. Responding to a call attention motion presented by MLA Rana Inder Pratap Singh regarding preventing flood threats in low-lying areas due to rising water levels in reservoirs, Goyal said that water levels in major reservoirs remained within safe limits as of July 10. He informed that the water level at Bhakra Dam stands at 1590.48 ft compared to 1614.89 ft on July 10, 2023 during the floods that year. Similarly, the level at Pong Dam is 1325.48 ft as against 1350.63 ft last year and at Ranjit Sagar Dam, it is 505.41 meters compared to 520.2 meters on July 10, 2023. The minister added that all three reservoirs are operating safely with ample buffer from danger levels. He said the Water Resources Department has executed comprehensive measures to tackle any potential flood situation. The government has allocated Rs 204.5 crore for flood mitigation. Utilizing SDMF, MGNREGA and departmental funds, 599 projects have been taken up, he said. Goyal said that over 4,766 kms of drains and choes have been desilted/cleaned using departmental machinery. Projects for strengthening embankments have been undertaken under the State Disaster Mitigation Fund (SDMF) while 8.76 lakh EC bags have been procured and 2.42 lakh EC bags have been filled and stored across districts, he added. Besides this, 53,400 bamboos have been planted along with completion of 1,044 check dams, 3,957 soak pits, and 294 kms of vetiver grass plantations to enhance soil stability. Goyal also said that control rooms are active across the state, emergency response teams are on standby and real-time monitoring of rivers and drains is underway across vulnerable zones. He reiterated that reservoir levels are stable and are well below critical limits. He said that the government has put robust systems in place at the ground level and in planning to respond swiftly and effectively to any flood threat. Earlier, the Sultanpur MLA drew the attention of the House towards the increase in water level in the reservoirs of the dams due to heavy rainfall in Himachal Pradesh, a marker of flood risk for Punjab. He also pointed towards the 'poor condition' of embankments along the Beas River. Rana Inder Pratap Singh said that in the past six months, he identified 12 to 15 critical locations between Harike and Dhilwan where the embankments were 'alarmingly weak' and highly susceptible to breaches during rising water levels in the reservoirs. Singh said the vulnerabilities were shared in detail with the concerned deputy commissioner and the cabinet minister, and formal reminders were also sent. However, no concrete steps were taken, he claimed. The lawmaker emphasised that all repair and strengthening work needed could have been executed under the MGNREGA scheme, yet the situation persists. Citing an example, he reminded the House that during the 2023 floods, an isolated embankment spanning nearly 125 acres near the Goindwal bridge had obstructed the natural water flow. As a result, all water pressure converged at a single point, increasing the risk of a breach. He urged the Punjab government to undertake desilting in this area to prevent a similar crisis from occurring again. The MLA further sounded an alarm over alleged illegal mining activities in the embankment zones, particularly in areas where temporary structures have been erected by locals. Such unauthorised activity is aggravating the flood risk and must be urgently addressed, he said and urged the government to conduct a thorough inspection of all old and vulnerable embankments.
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Minister: Reservoir levels stable, no flood-like situation in Punjab
Barinder Kumar Goyal, water resources minister, Punjab, on Monday informed the legislative assembly that water reservoir levels in the state remain stable and there is currently no flood-like situation in the state. He said that the state government has implemented comprehensive arrangements to address every potential scenario. Barinder Kumar Goyal, water resources minister, Punjab, on Monday informed the legislative assembly that water reservoir levels in the state remain stable and there is currently no flood-like situation in the state. He said that the state government has implemented comprehensive arrangements to address every potential scenario. (HT File) He was responding to a call attention motion by MLA Rana Inder Pratap Singh who raised concerns over the growing flood threat. Speaking during the Zero Hour, the MLA revealed that in the past six months, he has identified 12 to 15 critical locations between Harike and Dhilwan where the embankments are alarmingly weak and highly susceptible to breaches during rising water levels in the reservoirs of the dams. Rana Inder Pratap Singh told the House that these vulnerabilities were shared in detail with the deputy commissioners and the cabinet minister, and reminders were also sent. 'However, no concrete steps were taken even at the sites most in need of urgent reinforcement,' he told the House. The minister said that for flood preparedness, the water resources department has executed measures to tackle any potential flood situation. 'The government has allocated funds worth ₹204.5 crore for flood mitigation. Utilising SDMF, MGNREGA and departmental funds, 599 projects have been taken up', the minister said. According to Rana Inder Partap Singh, during the previous flood season, an isolated embankment spanning nearly 125 acres near the Goindwal bridge had obstructed the natural water flow. 'As a result, all the water pressure converged at a single point, increasing the risk of a breach. He urged the Punjab government to undertake de-silting in this area to prevent a similar crisis from occurring again. He further sounded the alarm over ongoing illegal mining activities within the embankment zones, particularly in areas where temporary structures have been erected by locals.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Reservoir levels stable, no flood-like situation: Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal
Chandigarh: Punjab water resources minister Barinder Kumar Goyal informed the vidhan sabha on Monday that water reservoir levels in Punjab were stable and there was currently no flood-like situation in the state. Responding to a calling attention notice moved by Sultanpur Lodhi MLA Rana Inder Pratap Singh regarding preventing flood threats in low-lying areas due to rising water levels in reservoirs, Goyal said that the state govt had implemented comprehensive arrangements to address every potential scenario. Goyal said that water levels in major reservoirs remained within safe limits as of July 10. He said that the current level at Bhakra Dam stood at 1,590.48 feet compared to 1,614.89 feet on July 10, 2023, during the floods that year. "Similarly, the current level at Pong Dam is 1,325.48 feet, which was 1,350.63 feet on July 10, 2023, during the 2023 floods. The current level at Ranjit Sagar Dam is 505.41 metres compared to 520.2 metres on July 10, 2023, during the 2023 floods," said Goyal, adding that "all three reservoirs are operating safely with ample buffer from danger levels". Rana Inder Pratap Singh, while speaking during the call attention motion asking the govt to take corrective steps to avoid floods, said, "It is a matter of urgent public importance that an increase in water levels in the dams due to heavy rainfall in Himachal Pradesh leads to the consequent danger of flooding in Punjab." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Switch to UnionBank Rewards Card UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo He claimed that despite flagging the issue with deputy commissioners and the minister, "no concrete steps were taken, even at the sites most in need of urgent reinforcement." Rana Inder Pratap Singh, the son of Congress MLA from Kapurthala Rana Gurjeet Singh and elected as an independent MLA from Sultanpur Lodhi in the 2022 Punjab assembly elections, also claimed that there were "ongoing illegal mining activities within the embankment zones, particularly in areas where temporary structures have been erected by locals". He further said that the residents of his constituency were willing to voluntarily offer land for the construction of embankments if it helps safeguard their lives and livelihoods from future floods. Responding to this, minister Goyal, while citing the example of Gidderpindi village, said de-silting was done on govt land but private landowners were not allowing that. "People made verbal promises but don't give their lands when it actually came to constructing embankments," he added. AAP MLA from Derabassi Kuljit Singh Randhawa said Zirakpur was worst hit when the water level rose during the rains. He said the farmers should be allowed to extract soil from Ghaggar to put the same in their lands. AAP MLA representing Ghanaur, Gurlal Ghanuar, also spoke on similar lines, pitching the "proper desilting of Ghaggar as the solution to avoid floods." Kapurthala MLA Rana Gurjeet Singh suggested that the govt should go in for sub-soil recharge by setting up "water pumping stations" as was "happening in countries like the US". "Have you made any such proposal," he sought to know.
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Climate
- Hindustan Times
No flood-like situation in Punjab, water level in dams within safe limits: Minister
Chandigarh, Punjab Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal on Monday informed the House that water reservoir levels in Punjab were stable and there was no flood-like situation in the state. No flood-like situation in Punjab, water level in dams within safe limits: Minister He said the state government was ready to meet any eventuality in this direction. Goyal was responding to a call attention motion presented by Independent MLA Rana Inder Pratap Singh about preventing flood threats in low-lying areas due to rising water in reservoirs. It was the third day of the ongoing special session of the Punjab Assembly. Goyal said water levels in major reservoirs remained within safe limits as of July 10. He informed the House that the water level at Bhakra Dam stood at 1,590.48 feet compared to 1,614.89 feet on the corresponding day in 2023 during floods in that year. The current level at Pong Dam is 1,325.48 feet, which was 1,350.63 feet on July 10, 2023, and at Ranjit Sagar Dam, it was 505.41 meters, as compared to 520.2 meters on July 10, 2023, he said. The minister said that all three reservoirs were operating safely with ample buffers from danger levels. He said the government has allocated ₹204.5 crore for flood mitigation, and 4,766 kilometres of drains and choes have been desilted and cleaned. He said projects for strengthening embankments have been undertaken under the State Disaster Mitigation Fund . A total of 53,400 bamboos have been planted, 1,044 check dams built, 3,957 soak pits and 294 kilometres of vetiver grass plantations introduced to enhance soil stability, he said. Goyal said control rooms are active across the state, emergency response teams are on standby, and real-time monitoring of rivers and drains is underway across vulnerable zones. He said the government has put robust systems in place at the ground level and is planning to respond swiftly and effectively to any flood threat. Earlier, the Sultanpur MLA drew the attention of the House towards the increase in water level in the reservoirs of the dams due to heavy rainfall in Himachal Pradesh, a marker of flood risk for Punjab. He also pointed towards the "poor condition" of embankments along the Beas River. Rana Inder Pratap Singh said that in the past six months, he identified 12 to 15 critical locations between Harike and Dhilwan where the embankments were "alarmingly weak" and highly susceptible to breaches during rising water levels in the reservoirs. Singh said the vulnerabilities were shared in detail with the concerned deputy commissioner and the cabinet minister, and formal reminders were also sent. However, no concrete steps were taken, he claimed. The lawmaker emphasised that all repair and strengthening work needed could have been executed under the MGNREGA scheme, yet the situation persists. Citing an example, he reminded the House that during the 2023 floods, an isolated embankment spanning nearly 125 acres near the Goindwal bridge had obstructed the natural water flow. As a result, all water pressure converged at a single point, increasing the risk of a breach. He urged the Punjab government to undertake desilting in this area to prevent a similar crisis from occurring again. The MLA further sounded an alarm over alleged illegal mining activities in the embankment zones, particularly in areas where temporary structures have been erected by locals. Such unauthorised activity is aggravating the flood risk and must be urgently addressed, he said and urged the government to conduct a thorough inspection of all old and vulnerable embankments. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
United News of India
6 days ago
- Politics
- United News of India
Reservoir levels stable in Punjab, no flood threat: Minister
Chandigarh, July 14 (UNI) Punjab Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal today informed the Legislative Assembly that water reservoir levels across the state remain stable, and there is currently no flood-like situation in the state. He assured that the state government has implemented comprehensive preparedness measures to handle all potential scenarios. Responding to a Call Attention Motion moved by MLA Rana Inder Pratap Singh regarding flood risks in low-lying areas due to rising reservoir levels, the Minister said that as of July 10, 2025, water levels in major reservoirs remain well within safe limits. Providing details, he said that the Bhakra dam level currently stands at 1590.48 ft as compared to 1614.89 ft on July 10, 2023, during the floods that year. The Pong dam is at 1325.48 ft, lower than 1350.63 ft recorded on the same date in 2023. The Ranjit Sagar Dam is at 505.41 meters as compared to 520.2 meters in July 2023. He emphasized that all three reservoirs are operating safely, maintaining ample buffer below danger levels. The Minister highlighted that the Water Resources Department has proactively implemented extensive flood mitigation measures. He said that the government has sanctioned Rs 204.5 crore for flood protection initiatives. A total of 599 projects have been undertaken, using funds from the State Disaster Mitigation Fund (SDMF), MGNREGA, and departmental allocations. Further, he informed the House that over 4,766 kilometers of drains and choes have been desilted using departmental machinery. Embankments have been strengthened under SDMF. 8.76 lakh EC bags have been procured, with 2.42 lakh bags filled and stored across districts. Additionally, the government has planted 53,400 bamboo plants; constructed 1,044 check dams, built 3,957 soak pits, and planted vetiver grass along 294 kilometers to enhance soil stability and erosion control. Goyal said that control rooms are operational across Punjab, emergency response teams are on standby, and real-time monitoring of rivers and drains is underway in all vulnerable areas. He reiterated that reservoir levels are well below critical limits and affirmed that robust ground-level systems and contingency planning are in place to swiftly and effectively respond to any emerging flood threat. UNI XC BM
