The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Congress have sharply criticized the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab for its alleged inaction as overflowing rivers inundate villages across multiple districts, accusing Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s administration of gross negligence. Heavy rainfall in catchment areas has caused the Beas, Sutlej, Ravi, and Ghaggar rivers to swell, flooding agricultural lands and homes, particularly in Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Ferozepur, Fazilka, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Tarn Taran, and Patiala.

SAD leader Daljit Singh Cheema highlighted the devastation, noting that over 25 villages in Sultanpur Lodhi and 20 in the Mand area of Kapurthala are submerged, while Gurdaspur’s agricultural lands are flooded due to water releases from the Ujh river and Ranjit Sagar Dam. In Patiala, the Ghaggar river has inundated Sardulgarh town, and releases from the Pong and Bhakra dams have caused havoc in Hoshiarpur, Talwara, and Hajipur. Cheema accused the AAP government of being “oblivious” to the crisis and demanded immediate relief measures, including drinking water, food, medicines, and cattle fodder for affected residents.

Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa, the opposition leader in the Punjab Assembly, described the situation as a “humanitarian disaster” driven by the government’s failure to act. He pointed to collapsing embankments and uncontrolled dam water releases as exacerbating factors, leaving thousands of acres of farmland underwater and threatening lives and livelihoods. Bajwa criticized the absence of robust rescue operations, stating that villagers are left to fend for themselves against rising floodwaters in districts like Fazilka, Ferozepur, and Tarn Taran.

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Both leaders called for urgent action, with Cheema urging the deployment of doctors and medical personnel to combat water-borne diseases caused by stagnant water and disrupted power supplies. He also demanded preliminary loss assessments and immediate compensation for farmers facing destroyed paddy crops, lost livestock, and damaged homes. Bajwa echoed these demands, emphasizing that the government’s inaction is worsening an already dire situation, with flood-hit communities struggling without adequate support.

The flooding, triggered by relentless rains in hilly regions, has cut off several areas, isolating residents and disrupting essential services. The opposition’s scathing remarks underscore growing frustration with the AAP government’s handling of the crisis, as Punjab braces for further challenges with rivers continuing to overflow and embankments weakening under pressure.

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