Chandigarh: The Public Action Committee (PAC) has accused the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) and the Punjab Government of systemic negligence in dam operations, alleging that mismanagement turned seasonal floods into large-scale disasters in 2023 and 2025. The Committee announced that it has filed a petition before the National Green Tribunal (NGT), seeking an independent audit of dam operations and accountability of officials.
Allegations of Mismanagement in Dam Operations
At a press conference held at Ludhiana on 8 September 2025, PAC members Kuldeep Singh Khaira and Er. Kapil Arora pointed out that despite lessons from the devastating 1988 floods—when inflows touched 797,800 cusecs in a single day—the BBMB has continued to maintain Full Reservoir Levels (FRL) at 1680 feet for Bhakra and 1390 feet for Pong Dam. They highlighted that even though the Central Water Commission (CWC) in 2014 recommended a review of FRLs, BBMB still adheres to the 1990 “rule curve” and submitted in Rajya Sabha that it was strictly following it.
PAC argued that if the revised rule curve had been truly based on Probable Maximum Flood (PMF) safety parameters, the dams could have accommodated extreme inflows while maintaining a discharge cushion of around 800,000 cusecs, thus avoiding sudden floods downstream.
Suppression of Data and Ignored Warnings
PAC leaders Jaskirat Singh and Dr. Amandeep Singh Bains alleged that the BBMB falsely claimed to have adopted a new rule curve while still keeping the same FRLs. They added that BBMB released water from dams prematurely, triggering floods even before the safe water levels were reached.
They further accused BBMB of withholding critical information. During the 2023 floods, BBMB data published on its website reportedly indicated human error, after which the data was removed from the public domain. Despite PAC’s representations to the Centre and Punjab Government demanding accountability, no action was taken.
According to PAC, in August 2025, they again warned BBMB—backed by IMD forecasts—that another flood crisis was imminent and demanded lowering of water levels. However, BBMB continued to fill the reservoirs until August 18, ignoring the warnings.
Punjab Govt’s Failures Highlighted
PAC maintained that the Punjab Government also bears responsibility for worsening the floods. The committee cited rampant illegal mining in riverbeds, encroachments on natural water bodies, and failure to repair bundhs after 2023 floods as aggravating factors. These shortcomings, they argued, not only intensified flooding but also caused extensive environmental damage, including loss of biodiversity, wildlife habitats, and tree cover.
Petition Before NGT
The PAC has now filed a petition before the NGT, demanding:
- An independent audit of BBMB’s rule curve and dam operations by a committee headed by a retired High Court judge and experts from the National Institute of Hydrology.
- Accountability of officials from both BBMB and the Punjab Government.
- Compensation for flood-affected people, in line with Supreme Court rulings in similar cases.
PAC members concluded that floods in Punjab were not natural calamities but “man-made disasters”, caused by a combination of BBMB’s rigid dam management and the Punjab Government’s systemic negligence.
