AIKS on Punjab Floods | Sept 15 2025

All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS)

Press Release

New Delhi, 14 September, 2025: A high-level fact-finding team of the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) has observed deliberate and reckless mismanagement of major dams that directly amplified the devastating floods in Punjab, transforming a natural weather event into a preventable, man-made catastrophe. AIKS holds the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), under the BJP-led Union Government, and the AAP-led Punjab Government’s water management authorities criminally negligent for their roles in a disaster that has claimed at least 55 lives and affected nearly 4 lakh people across the state .

Furthermore, the recently enacted Disaster Management (Amendment) Act, 2025, has systematically disowned constitutional duties and created legal frameworks that exacerbate state helplessness during disasters and the systematic deprivation of affected people.

The AIKS leadership, including National President Rajan Kshirsagar, National Secretary Krishna Deo Singh, and Vice President Shri Baldev Singh Nihalgarh, along with state leaders Balkaran Brar (General Secretary, Punjab AIKS), Mahavir Singh (Working President, Punjab AIKS), Lakhveer Singh Nizampura, Gulzar Singh Basantkot, Baldev Singh Kheihra, Joginder Singh Gopalpur, Jagjeet Singh Aluna, Ramesh Pal, Amreek Singh Ajnala, Ramdas Mashiwala, and Ramdas Ghonewala, conducted an intensive two-day visit on September 11 and 12 to the worst-affected districts. These included Fazilka, Ferozepur, Ajnala (in Amritsar), Dehra Baba Nanak (in Gurdaspur district), as well as Kohlian, Bamial, and the Madhopur Headworks in Pathankot district.

The AIKS leadership, after its visit, found a shocking pattern of sub-optimal dam operation that prioritized water hoarding over public safety, directly contradicting the very purpose of flood moderation and leading to widespread destruction of over 4.5 lakh acers of farmland & crops.

Key Findings of the AIKS Mission:

1. Criminal Mismanagement of Water Resources: The investigation reveals a damning pattern of sub-optimal dam operation that prioritized water hoarding over public safety. The BBMB, acting with unilateral arrogance, deliberately maintained low outflows despite high rainfall forecasts, leading to catastrophic releases that directly triggered flash floods and inundated over 2,200 villages

2. Legislative Abandonment of Constitutional Duties:The Disaster Management (Amendment)Act,2025, has failed to integrate human rights-based approaches and continues to centralize power with the NDMA while weakening state autonomy. The Act’s definition of "vulnerability" ignores the coping capacity of communities, reducing disaster management to technical exercises rather than people-centered responses.

3. Complete Abrogation of Duty by State Government: The Punjab Government exhibited a shocking lack of preparedness, failing to undertake pre-monsoon desilting, strengthen embankments, or clear drainage systems. Its disaster management plan existed only on paper, a situation exacerbated by the new Act’s inadequate funding mechanisms for local authorities.

4. Abysmal Relief Response: The state administration’s efforts were delayed,
disorganized, and grossly inadequate. The mandatory use of a malfunctioning e-Kshatipurti portal to register losses harassed distressed farmers instead of providing support, reflecting the new Act’s failure to mandate compensation as a right. This is particularly egregious given the scale of displacement, with thousands of people forced into 111 relief camps

Deliberate Mismanagement and Wasted Warnings:

1. Bhakra Dam: Criminal Negligence: By August 1st, the dam was 53% full. Despite forecasts, BBMB deliberately maintained low outflows (avg. 22,000 cusecs) until August 18th, operating power generation at far below optimal capacity. This conscious decision to fill the reservoir forced catastrophic releases during Punjab’s peak flood period.

2. Pong Dam: A Repeat Offender: Following the same reckless pattern, Pong Dam was over 60% full by August 1st. Despite receiving the highest inflow since its commissioning (9.68 BCM), authorities failed to increase outflows in advance, pouring fuel on the fire of existing floods.

3. Ranjit Sagar Dam: Admission of Guilt: The operation was a textbook example of how to worsen a flood. Outflows were kept low until panic-stricken releases reached 1,73,000 cusecs on August 27th. The Punjab Irrigation Minister’s admission that "all calculations were upended" is a damning indictment of his department’s failure.

Instead of relief Blame Game : After conducting an aerial survey, Narendra Modi declared a relief of 1,600 crore rupees for Punjab, despite the state government assessing losses at over ?25,000 crore from the destruction of crops, homes, and infrastructure. This amount is a cruel mockery from the Narendra Modi-led BJP government, as the Union Government is trying to push all responsibility onto the State Government while only engaging in a political blame game over relief accountability.

The floods are largely due to the mismanagement of centrally controlled authorities such as the BBMB, which are fully responsible. Furthermore, the assessment provided by the State Government has not been accepted, nor have all the concerns of the flood victims regarding rehabilitation measures and necessary infrastructure been addressed.

Through the newly enacted Disaster Management (Amendment) Act, 2025, the Union Government is completely disowning its constitutional duty. It is using relief as a political tool to take revenge against the farmers of Punjab, who forced the withdrawal of the three black farm laws.

The additional remarks made by the Prime Minister, as reflected in the media, are a grave insult to the Punjabi people and the Punjabi language.

People’s Resilience vs. Government’s Apathy: While governments failed, the people of Punjab exhibited extraordinary solidarity. Farmers’ organizations including AIKS & , local Gurudwara committees, and youth volunteers & AIYF Ex Servicemen led effective rescue operations, embodying the spirit of ’Sewa’. SKM has also established two relief centers. Many organisation from other states also helping affected people. NDRF efforts were commendable but constrained by a lack of institutional support and the new Act’s inadequate community participation mechanisms; the role of Panchayats to identify the needs of affected people has been denied by the Government.

AIKS Condemns and Demands: The AIKS condemns the criminal abdication of responsibility by BBMB and the Punjab Water Resources Department, constituting a grave violation of public trust. We equally condemn the anti-federal provisions of the Disaster Management (Amendment) Act, 2025, that have systematically disowned constitutional duties to protect citizens.

We demand:

1. Immediate FIRs against officials responsible for dam mismanagement along with termination. Enquiery of this manmade disaster by a Judicial Commission headed by High Court Judge.

2. Declaration of a National Disaster and comprehensive compensation: ?70,000/acre crop loss, ?50,000/?25,000 per animal, ?5 Lakh/?2 Lakh for damaged homes.

3. One lakh interim relief for every affected family along with rural labours & share croppers.

4. 200 days of work under MGNREGA in flood-affected zones with Rs 600/- daily wage.

5. Waiver of all kind of agricultural debts for affected families.

6. Scapping of disater management amendment act 2025

The AIKS unequivocally holds both the Modi-led Central Government and the Bhagwant Mann-led State Government equally responsible for this preventable catastrophe. We issue a firm warning that failure to meet our demands will result in the launch of a massive state-wide struggle. In solidarity with the people of Punjab’s fight for justice, the AIKS also appeals to kisan organizations, progressive intellectuals, engineers, environmentalists, and lawyers to come forward and form an independent public commission. This commission will be tasked with conducting a thorough scrutiny of the disaster and formulating comprehensive recommendations for relief, rehabilitation, and preventive measures to address both immediate needs and future safeguards.

Rajan Kshirsagar President
Ravula Venkaih General Secretary