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Ravi, Beas, Sutlej Swell Again: How Punjab Floods Have Revived Painful Memories Of 1988

Punjab floods: In September 1988, widespread rain and overflowing rivers had caused widespread destruction across the state, leaving hundreds dead and lakhs displaced. Punjab is grappling is one of its worst floods in over three decades. More than 1,000 villages have been submerged across key districts - Gurdaspur, Kapurthala, Ferozepur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Amritsar, and Tarn Taran. All rivers - Sutlej, Beas, Ravi and Ghaggar - are flowing at the danger mark - a situation that has reminded many in Punjab, of the devastating 1988 floods that crippled the state to the extent that it took over two years to fully build back what was lost, except for the lives the disaster took away. The 1988 Punjab floods are known to have been one of the most devastating flood disasters in independent India, after the 1955 floods. In September 1988, widespread rain and overflowing rivers caused widespread destruction across the state. Exceptionally heavy monsoon rainfall, five times more than normal, across north India and Himachal Pradesh triggered massive inflows into Punjab's rivers -- Sutlej, Beas, Ravi, and Ghaggar. The Bhakra Dam (on Sutlej) and Pong Dam (on Beas) had to release huge volumes of water to protect the dams, which worsened downstream flooding. Weak embankments and breaches in bunds led to uncontrolled overflow in rural and semi-urban areas. Residents recall how the Beas was overflowing to the extent that its waters flooded areas beyond Punjab and reached Panipat. In Punjab, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Ferozepur, Ropar, Amritsar, Patiala, and parts of Sangrur, saw the worst impact of the floods in 1988. According to official figures, more than 600 people lost their lives, while over 1 million people were rendered homeless. The standing crops of paddy, cotton, sugarcane, and maize on several lakh acres were destroyed, dealing a massive blow to Punjab's agrarian economy. On social media, too, people recalled the horrors of the 1988 floods. "I witnessed the havoc of the flood in 1988 when the Sutlej River's dam broke near the village of Fambde. Many families, including a large part of our own, lived in houses built in the fields near the river, far from our village Urapar. At that time, in the rush, large cauldrons used for boiling sugarcane juice to make jaggery were used as boats, with bamboo sticks fashioned into oars. The destruction and loss were both immense. Around 2,500 villages were damaged. Today, there is both concern and prayer for Punjab and the surrounding areas," Harsh Vivek Singh wrote on X. Hundreds of bridges, culverts, railway lines, and roads were washed away. Electricity and telephone networks were majorly disrupted. The Jalandhar-Amritsar and Jalandhar-Pathankot rail links were shut for weeks. The urban areas of Ludhiana, Jalandhar, and Amritsar were submerged, too, affecting industries and trade. The Army, Air Force, and BSF were mobilised for rescue -- boats and helicopters evacuated people and dropped food packets. Temporary relief camps were set up; but overcrowding and lack of sanitation caused outbreaks of diseases. The then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi personally visited Punjab, assuring full central assistance. The Centre announced a major relief package, and international aid agencies also provided support. Punjabis say the current flooding in the state reminds them of the 1988 floods. Many even say the damages from the current flooding could be worse than what they say in 1988. Manpreet Singh, a resident of a village in Amritsar, told mediapersions a few days ago, "I was a young boy during the 1988 floods and still remember the devastation. However, this time the situation is far worse, with over two dozen villages submerged." Ludhiana Municipal Commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal, on Monday, said, "It has been raining continuously since morning and there has been waterlogging in the low-lying areas. Our teams have been deployed and pumps and engines have been set up to flush out the water... I have been in Punjab for the last 10 years and I have never seen so much rain. Even the MLA said that the last time it rained so heavily was in 1988..." Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal (Rajya Sabha MP & eco-warrior) remarked that "this year's flood in Punjab has been the worst since 1988 and broken all records," urging that the disaster be declared a national calamity. He pointed out that on the night of August 26, the Ravi River's flow reached 14.11 lakh cusecs, exceeding the 1988 peak of 11.20 lakh cusecs. He also noted that the Beas River flow this year has soared between 2.5 to 3 lakh cusecs. More than 1,000 villages have been submerged across districts such as Gurdaspur, Kapurthala, Ferozepur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Amritsar, and Tarn Taran. Over 61,000 hectares (about 150,000 acres) of agricultural land, especially paddy fields, have been inundated. Around 1.46 million people have been displaced and impacted by the flooding while at least 29 people are reported to have lost their lives. All schools across Punjab have been shut until at least September 3 as a safety precaution as the state remains under orange alert for rainfall. Coordinated efforts by NDRF, SDRF, Army, BSF, and local authorities, including use of drones, boats, and amphibious vehicles are underway. Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann has established a three-member panel to monitor relief efforts closely. The Army and 17 NDRF teams are engaged in evacuations, medical support, sanitation, and safe water provision. The state government has requested the Union government to release Rs 60,000 crore in pending funds and increase compensation from Rs 6,800 to Rs 50,000 per acre for affected farmers. The situation remains critical in many areas as rains continue and the level of water in all the four rivers continues to rise.

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