By Hanika Kashyap
Experiencing the worst floods in nearly four decades, the government has declared Punjab a disaster-affected state. At least 30 people have died, with almost 1,400 villages and 3.5 lakh people being affected, according to the order. Furthermore, nearly 20,000 people have been evacuated from the flood-hit areas.
Chief Secretary KAP Sinha, who also heads the state executive committee formed under the Disaster Management Act, 2025, on Wednesday, empowered district magistrates to issue necessary orders under Section 34 of the Act if a potential disaster situation arises.
All 23 districts of the state have been flood-hit due to the monsoon rains and the release of water from dams, according to the state authorities. Adding to this, rivers like the Sutlej, Beas, Ravi, and Ghaggar are overflowing. Plus, the state has received 253.7 mm of rainfall in August, 74 per cent above normal, which is the highest in 25 years.
Around 3.75 lakh of farmland, majorly paddy fields, have submerged under floodwater. This has resulted in major financial losses to farmers. While the situation is evolving, Sinha has noted that there is still a “grave concern” with the chances of it worsening in the coming days.
The chief secretary has asked all District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMAs) to initiate suitable solutions for the affected population. All line departments have also been instructed to follow their emergency roles and act promptly to ensure an effective response. Moreover, these departments have been told to ensure employee presence on assigned duties at all times, including weekends, according to authorities.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has requested the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to release 60,000 crore in pending funds from the Centre and to revise and to revise farmer compensation norms under the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF). He also urged increasing compensation from the current 15,000 rupees per acre to 50,000 rupees per acre.