India

When northern Punjab reeled under floods this August, many assumed the usual suspects—Bhakra and Pong dams—had been forced to release water. But this time, it was Punjab’s own Ranjit Sagar Dam (RSD) on the Ravi that triggered a chain of events leading to the worst flood crisis in nearly four decades. Ranjit Sagar Dam: The Tipping Point By August 25, RSD touched its maximum permissible level of 527.91 m. Just a day later, water levels climbed to 528.008 m, forcing a massive release of 215,000 cusecs—nearly the same as the inflow of 225,000 cusecs. This sudden outflow hit the Madhopur barrage hard, where flow peaked at 222,000 cusecs and caused the failure of two gates. The situation worsened as the Ujh River—already carrying 206,000 cusecs—joined the Ravi near Gurdaspur, sending floodwaters surging toward villages along the Indo-Pak border. Even after rains eased and inflows dropped to just 22,000 cusecs, the dam continued releasing 42,000 cusecs on August 31—prolonging the flooding. BBMB’s Controlled Approach at Bhakra and Pong Interestingly, BBMB-controlled dams managed to avoid adding to the crisis. Pong Dam, despite recording inflows above 252,000 cusecs, capped outflow at 85,000 cusecs by carefully using its storage cushion. Bhakra Dam too stayed well within safe limits, discharging only when essential. This contrast has fueled debate over RSD’s water management practices, with experts saying pre-emptive release before the rains could have reduced the damage downstream. The Human Cost: Villages Submerged, Lives Upended The floods submerged 1,400+ villages and damaged nearly 2.5 lakh acres of crops, displacing more than 3.5 lakh people across 23 districts. In Ajnala (Amritsar), over 40 villages were cut off.Harjit Singh, a farmer from Gurdaspur, said: “Our homes and fields are gone. The government knew the dam was full—why did they wait until the last minute to open the gates?” The floods have been described as worse than the 1988 Punjab disaster, when 9,000 villages were inundated. Rescue Operations and Relief Efforts The Indian Army, NDRF (National Disaster Response Force), and SDRF teams swung into action, evacuating thousands from marooned villages. Boats and helicopters were deployed in low-lying areas to rescue stranded families. Temporary relief camps were set up with food, medical aid, and shelter. Punjab’s Chief Minister promised compensation for farmers and rebuilding of breached embankments. However, local activists say compensation is slow and bureaucratic delays are hurting affected families. Voices Demanding Accountability Former army commander Lt Gen (Retd) KJS Dhillon called it “criminal negligence,” pointing to poor maintenance of embankments and misuse of funds meant for flood protection. Environmental groups like South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People are calling for transparent rule curves, public sharing of inflow/outflow data, and an independent inquiry into RSD’s water management decisions. Year Villages Flooded People Affected Key Cause 1988 9,000+ 3.4 million Record rainfall & embankment breaches 2025 1,400+ 0.35 million RSD over-storage & delayed release While 2025 saw fewer villages flooded than 1988, experts say it was preventable—making it a man-made disaster.