Photo Source: Babushahi Bureau
Rana Gurjeet Singh demands judicial probe into Punjab flood disaster
Blames Govt and BBMB for mismanagement
Babushahi Bureau
Kapurthala (Punjab), September 5, 2025: Senior Congress leader and Kapurthala MLA Rana Gurjeet Singh has launched a scathing attack on the Aam Aadmi Party-led Punjab government, holding it responsible for the state’s devastating floods. He alleged that the crisis was not merely a natural calamity but the result of administrative lapses and human error.
In a press release, Singh demanded a judicial probe by a sitting judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court to investigate the causes behind the disaster. “The devastation that Punjab is currently grappling with is not due to nature alone, but due to a complete lack of preparedness and mismanagement by the state government,” he said.
The Congress MLA also held the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) accountable for failing in forward planning and dam management. “Their inability to regulate water inflows and outflows at the Bhakra and Pong dams aggravated the disaster. Floodwaters from Ranjit Sagar Dam over the Ravi River further worsened the situation,” he said, adding that BBMB should be held liable to compensate victims.
Calling for systemic reforms, Singh proposed the formation of an expert committee of international engineers and specialists to review the disaster, identify failures, and recommend strategies for effective water regulation under changing climate conditions. He also suggested that Punjab engineers should take charge of dam and reservoir management in BBMB, citing their local expertise.
On the relief front, Singh criticized the lack of coordination, saying that VIP visits were disrupting aid delivery. He urged Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to frame an immediate policy for de-silting farmlands, allowing farmers to sell the sand deposited on their fields to recover losses.
The MLA also emphasized the need to study climate change patterns, design water recharge systems to absorb excess floodwaters, and build long-term resilience against such disasters.
“The people of Punjab deserve answers and accountability. This tragedy should never be allowed to happen again,” Singh asserted, while highlighting the severe losses to lives, property, and agriculture.