Amid rising water levels in Punjab’s dams caused by continuous rainfall in Himachal Pradesh’s hilly regions, Punjab Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal on Monday reviewed the situation in several districts through detailed telephonic discussions with the respective Deputy Commissioners. He directed officials to take prompt flood-control measures and ensure the protection of lives and property.
Briefing the media at Punjab Bhawan, Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal said that flood-like conditions have emerged in areas between river embankments in Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur, Gurdaspur, Fazilka and Ferozepur due to swollen rivers and breaches in temporary embankments raised by farmers in floodplains. He informed that nearly 14,200 acres have been impacted—while Kapurthala’s affected land includes residential areas, the damage in Fazilka and Ferozepur largely covers standing crops. He assured that the state and district administrations are extending all possible support to the affected families.
ਪਿਛਲੇ ਕਈ ਦਿਨਾਂ ਤੋਂ ਗੁਆਂਢੀ ਸੂਬੇ ਹਿਮਾਚਲ ਪ੍ਰਦੇਸ਼ ਦੇ ਪਹਾੜੀ ਇਲਾਕਿਆਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਹੋ ਰਹੀ ਲਗਾਤਾਰ ਬਾਰਿਸ਼ ਕਾਰਨ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਦੇ ਡੈਮਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਪਾਣੀ ਦਾ ਪੱਧਰ ਵਧਣ ਦੇ ਮੱਦੇਨਜ਼ਰ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਦੇ ਜਲ ਸਰੋਤ ਮੰਤਰੀ ਬਰਿੰਦਰ ਕੁਮਾਰ ਗੋਇਲ ਨੇ ਪ੍ਰਭਾਵਿਤ ਜ਼ਿਲ੍ਹਿਆਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਸਥਿਤੀ ਦਾ ਵਿਸਥਾਰਤ ਜਾਇਜ਼ਾ ਲੈਣ ਲਈ ਸੰਬੰਧਿਤ ਡਿਪਟੀ ਕਮਿਸ਼ਨਰਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਟੈਲੀਫੋਨ… pic.twitter.com/4xDuQPnJPD
— Government of Punjab (@PbGovtIndia) August 17, 2025
Explaining the surveillance system, Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal said that 24×7 field monitoring is being carried out by four Superintending Engineers, 10 Executive Engineers, 20 SDOs and over 200 field staff, with the vulnerable zones divided into sectors for quick response. He instructed DCs to establish relief camps with food, shelter and medical facilities, while also ensuring arrangements for livestock, including shelters, fodder, water and veterinary services. Special attention, he emphasized, must be given to children, the elderly and pregnant women, alongside provision of clean drinking water, health units and uninterrupted medicines to prevent waterborne diseases.
Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal also directed the Deputy Commissioners of Tarn Taran and Ferozepur to personally monitor the Harike headworks in view of heavy inflows from the Sutlej and Beas rivers. Reassuring the public, he said the embankments built by the department remain safe, with round-the-clock vigilance by roster-based teams.
Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal reaffirmed the Punjab Government’s full commitment to safeguard the people and highlighted that continuous monitoring is underway. He was accompanied by Chief Engineer (Drainage) S. Hardeep Singh Mendiratta and Chief Engineer (Canals) S. Sher Singh.