Key Points

He also raised the serious question on the working of the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) and false narrative created by the Opposition to politicise the natural disaster.

In an address during the special session of the Vidhan Sabha here, minister Bains urged the Opposition to prioritise the welfare of the people over political gains.

He highlighted the devastating impact of the floods, which have claimed 59 lives, destroyed houses, decimated thousands livestock, and dealt a severe blow to the state's agricultural sector.

He emphasised that the true extent of the tragedy is far greater, with many lives lost to secondary causes such as snake bites, isolation due to disrupted connectivity in flood-hit areas.

The minister also drew attention to the severe strain on public infrastructure, with over 3,200 schools affected and more than 1,300 classrooms rendered unusable.

"Five lakh acres of crop have been destroyed. The economy of Punjab, which stands on these crops, has come to a standstill. The women who would not let anyone enter their homes with dusty shoes are now seeing their courtyards filled with mud," he said.

Bains launched a scathing attack on the BBMB, citing a misleading statement made by its Chairman in the High Court.

He presented technical data from the Central Water Commission's April 24 report, revealing alarming water storage deficits in Punjab's key reservoirs (44.85 per cent below normal) and Himachal Pradesh reservoirs (40.60 per cent shortfall).

He said despite the critical water shortage, the BBMB attempted to divert Punjab's share of water to Haryana when the Bhakra Dam's water level had plummeted to 1,555 feet, imperilling the power house's operations.

Raising a critical question regarding the Gobind Sagar reservoir, Bains said, "It's shocking that the BBMB can't even provide information on the extent of siltation in the reservoir of Bhakra dam, which was designed with a 100-year lifespan. What is its remaining life now -- 10 years, 15 years, or less?"

He demanded the constitution of an expert-led committee to assess the reservoir's capacity, sedimentation levels and structural stress, ensuring a comprehensive evaluation of the critical dam.

The minister emphasised the importance of constructing check dams in catchment areas of dams to mitigate sudden water inflows, a measure previously recommended by BBMB reports but regrettably overlooked.

"We must have a meaningful discussion on climate change and infrastructure preparedness. It's imperative to study our dams and catchment areas and take proactive measures to avert this kind of tragedy in future," he said.

"It's been 10 days, and our Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann hasn't received a single communication from the Prime Minister, who has managed to find time for roadshows in other states. This is the moment for the Centre to empathise with and understand Punjab's pain," said Bains, while urging the Central government to provide urgent support to flood-hit Punjab and adopt a bipartisan approach to address the pressing issues.

- IANS