Punjab floods in 2025 have raised many thought provoking questions:
What actually lead to floods? What is the permanent solution of floods in Punjab?
Why do we have these dams?
Dams were constructed to stop the occurrence of any floods, in the very fist place! We construct dams with a huge investment. The construction cost of only Bhakhra dam was ₹245.28 crore which is equivalent to a whopping ₹200 billion or US$2.4 billion in 2023. Its cost as of today is ₹16,66 Lakh Crore!
Such a price, and the dam defeats the very purpose it has been created! And this has not happened only this year. It is happening again and again. Dam-enforced flooding has taken place in Punjab in the years 1988, 1993, 2010, 2019, 2023 and now in 2025.
Is the concept of dams itself at fault or the persons running the dams are at fault?
Let us try to look into it.
Punjab Rivers can take water to a certain level only!
In an estimate, the entire 600 km of stretch of Punjab rivers can, at the most, take about 0.15 BCM (Billion Cubic Meter) of water. If this is so, then how much water can, all dams put together, release into Punjab rivers? This is equivalent to 50,000 to 60,000 cusec of water. If more than 60,000 cusec water is released by dams, it will get flooded because, Punjab rivers can’t hold more than 60,000 cusec of water in a day.
There is limit of the capacity of dam, as well
Like rivers, there is water holding limit of dams, as well. Bhakhra dam, e.g. has the capacity of 9.3 BCM, but is filled up to 7BCM only; Pong Dam has a capacity of 8.5 BCM, but is filled less than 7 BCM. Thein Dam has a capacity if 3.2 BCM, but it is filled up to 2.3 BCM only.
Why it is so? The remaining area is left for untoward hike for hills and heightened rainfall. This is in accordance with the world-wide standard SOP (Standard Operating Procedure).
How did dams react to weather forecasts?
Weather forecasts projected heightened monsoon rainfall. This was the time to release the water, up to the level that can be handled by Punjab rivers, on a daily basis. This level is approximately 50,000 to 60,000 cusec per day.
Did this happen? The unreleased figures conceal the direct answer to it. However, all circumstances indicate to the contrary! For many days water was released even lesser than 60,000 cusecs in the days before actual floods, that lead to collection of more and more water within dams.
Then, large amounts of water, much more than the carrying capacity of Punjab rivers, was suddenly released. This was often one lakh cusec water which is equivalent to 0.25 BCM water which is already sufficient to cause floods since.
According to news release, on 25th August, 1,50,000 cusec water was released by Punjab dams. And on 28th August, Pong damn alone shed 1,10,000 cusec of water. This sudden burst of water exploded beyond Punjab rivers and lead to floods!
What is lasting solution of recurring floods in Punjab?
Since Punjab is the first sufferer of floods, thus, Punjab should have the first right in management of dam waters, as well. The other states too could also have their consultative representation in the BBMB governance. This is the foremost necessity to bring end to the recurrent suffering of Punjab at the hands of dam waters mismanagement due to any reason, whatsoever.
Broadening of rivers is a significant measure that can increase the water holding capacity of Punjab rivers. Increasing the number of rivers is another significant measure that can be helpful.