We had to bear the brunt of the devastation that has taken place in the areas.
Editorial: Punjab has received 123 percent more rain than normal from June 1 to August 25
The havoc of floods in Punjab is continuously increasing. There is no sign of it decreasing yet. The latest forecasts of the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) have predicted that Himachal Pradesh, the Jammu region, and the monsoon season in Punjab is expected to continue at least till September 4. According to the bulletins of the same department, Punjab has received 123 percent more rain than normal from June 1 to August 25. In Himachal, this figure is 197%.
The Jammu region has been witnessing flood-like rains after 49 years. In fact, Punjab is bearing the brunt of the heavy rains in Jammu division and Himachal Pradesh more than its own rains.
All three major dams of the state - Bhakra, Pong and Ranjit Sagar - have been releasing excess water through their respective floodgates. Due to this, at least eight districts of Punjab - Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Ferozepur, Tarn Taran,
The flood-affected areas of Fazilka, Kapurthala, Amritsar and Hoshiarpur are continuously increasing. Some areas of Jalandhar district are also at risk of flooding due to the rising Sutlej and similar to cope with the threat, villagers are also organizing protests in Ludhiana district.
The Punjab government claims that it has learned lessons from the floods in 2022 and has spent Rs 230 crore on flood prevention measures this time. These measures include strengthening river embankments, cleaning channels, temporary
Steps included adequate provision of sandbags for embankments, availability of boats, etc. But all these steps have, in general, proved ineffective. The accusations are becoming common that much has been done on paper, not in practice.
Some media reports also indicate that funds were allocated for several districts with potential flood risks, but were not released due to the financial crisis facing the state government. Such a development is happening in Punjab.
This is nothing new for the state. For decades, the people of the state have been showing a commendable attitude of taking the initiative themselves instead of relying on the government. Even now, volunteers from remote villages are bringing relief materials.
The marches to flood-affected areas, including trolleys, have begun to give a new boost to the Punjabi spirit of reaching out to the needy.
The rising waters in the Ravi, Beas and Sutlej rivers have also caused floods in western Punjab. According to a BBC report, Indian authorities have not only informed Pakistan about the flooding in the Tawi river in a timely manner. In addition, advance information about the floods of Ravi, Sutlej and Beas has been shared with Pakistani authorities as a matter of humanity. Although such advance information was useful in taking some precautions, it could not stop the havoc of the floods.
Pictures and videos of Darbar Sahib and Kartarpur Sahib being submerged in floodwaters in Narowal district have already appeared in the media. Sialkot city, the northeastern suburbs of Lahore city, Sheikhupura and the devastation caused by floods in two tehsils of Kasur districts and in Khanewal, Sahiwal and Pakpattan districts presents a horrifying picture of the havoc of monsoon. Some areas of Nankana Sahib district are also flooded.
There are reports of flooding. Nine western districts of Punjab are already submerged in four feet of water due to the Jhelum floods.
Meteorologists say that the northwestern region of India and the entire northern Pakistan are currently under the direct impact of climate changes brought about by the increase in global warming. All of this region, while the monsoon is stronger than in the past few years, due to the warmer waters of the Atlantic and Mediterranean Seas, more vapor-laden winds are also forming in the form of westerly cyclones over the Himalayas.
They are coming towards the mountain ranges. When they come here and directly collide with the western flank of the Himalayas, all their water falls on this area. Due to this phenomenon, this time the rainfall in North-East India has been relatively less, while in North-West India and Pakistan it has been more. However, the rapid deforestation of mountains and forests in these areas during the last two decades has not been as dramatic as it was in the past two decades.
We had to bear the brunt of the devastation that has taken place in the areas. The sad fact is that neither the governments nor the common people were prepared for such a brunt. The havoc that nature has now unleashed is beyond our control.
One lesson must be learned: Whatever repairs need to be made, they should be done according to the laws of environmental science. If we continue to disobey the laws of nature, it will surely be met with a harsh response tomorrow, and how devastating such responses will be can be easily inferred from the current chaos.
